


Run, Frat Boy, Run

by aussie_direction (gayalmighty)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alpha Harry, Alternate Universe - College/University, Bad Neighbours, Bottom Louis, Delta Psi, Fanfiction, Gay, Gay Sex, Larry Stylinson Is Real, M/M, Top Harry, University Student Harry, University Student Louis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-20
Updated: 2015-06-20
Packaged: 2018-04-05 06:07:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 44,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4168854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gayalmighty/pseuds/aussie_direction
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You'd better run, cause there's no way you can hide from me."<br/>.<br/>Harry and Louis are the two most popular boys at SDSU, but they don't get along. At all. They belong to rival fraternities and they are constantly playing pranks and screwing with each other. Everyone can see that the school slut and the pretty boy would never be friends, but when alcohol and parties are thrown in the mix, things can change.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Harry groaned as he rolled over in his bed. He stretched his arms above his head and yawned, the memories from the previous night flowing back into his mind.  
He smiled to himself as he remembered.   
There was a party. With lots of cute girls and guys.   
There was alcohol and loud music. Lots of people crammed into the frat house. His frat house, the most popular fraternity of San Diego State University.  
Harry Styles was the name on everyone’s lips. Every girl, even most of the guys wanted to be with him and he was happy to oblige.  
He was the slut of the school. And he didn’t care. Girl or guy, it didn’t bother him. A fuck was a fuck and he liked it.  
He chuckled, rubbing his eyes and stretching his neck before he felt around the bed for the girl he swore he left there.  
It was empty though, not that he particularly cared. It was easier that way, anyway. No awkward goodbyes and false promises of calling the next day.  
He took a deep breath and squeezed his eyes closed before he sat up, stretched again and rolled out of bed.  
Suddenly, he felt cold and realised he wasn’t wearing any clothes. At all. He shrugged and strode over to his dresser.  
After all, half the campus had seen him naked..   
He looked out his window as he pulled out the top drawer of his dresser and grabbed a pair of boxers.   
He cocked his head to the side and smirked at the sight he was greeted with. His bedroom was on the top floor of the house so he had quite a view. He could see over the houses opposite to the next street over.  
The street where the school’s other big fraternity house sat. Harry’s greatest rivals.   
He let out a chuckle as he saw the damage from the night before.  
At some point during the party, Harry and his best friend Zayn, along with the girls they had hanging off them, started a game of truth or dare.   
One thing led to another and then, Harry, Zayn and the rest of their fraternity had been dared to trash the other frat house.  
Harry laughed at the memory as he pulled on the boxers with a pair of skinny jeans, grabbed a t-shirt and pulling it on as he went downstairs.  
They were always playing pranks on each other. It’s what they do. The guy from that house, Louis Tomlinson, was Harry’s runner up. He was Harry’s equivalent in the other frat, but Harry was just one step ahead. He always had been and Harry loved to get the other boy riled up over it.  
One time, Harry egged Louis’ car and wrote all over the windows. Another time, Harry woke up with his entire dresser emptied onto the street below his window and covered in alcohol.   
If Harry did something to Louis, Louis would retaliate and vice versa. It was their thing. Their little game and neither wanted it to stop.  
Harry teased him that it was because Louis was secretly attracted to him and that he was jealous and Louis would always get flustered and make him even more determined to hate Harry.  
Harry was more popular, more attractive and all round just, well, better.  
If Louis got a girl, it was only because he was their second choice and their first, Harry, was already taken for the night. Louis was right behind Harry, nipping at his heels but never in front.  
Harry was always number one and he just loved to remind Louis of that.  
“Hey mate. Happy Saturday morning to you.” Zayn greeted him as we wandered into the kitchen. He was flipping pancakes at the stove in his boxers and an apron tied loosely around his hips, showing off his toned back and letting Harry know that he was clearly trying to impress someone.  
“And happy Saturday morning to you too.” Harry replied with a laugh. Saturdays were special because they could party all night the night before and then do it all again that night. Saturdays were Harry and Zayn’s favourite days. Alcohol and sex. That’s all they needed.  
“Still got someone here, hey?” Harry dug as he went to the fridge, grabbed the juice carton and jumped up onto the kitchen bench.  
“Oh yeah,” Zayn replied, slowly nodding his head. “But here’s the catch. I actually like her,” his voice was dripping with sarcasm. “Unlike you, and whoever the hell it was that I showed out this morning.”   
Harry scoffed. “Bullshit.”  
“It’s true. I like her. Her name’s Perrie and she’s really nice, and very hot. I’m making her breakfast to take to my room.” Zayn replied more seriously, flipping a pancake.  
“Whatever. Hey, did you catch that chick’s name, the one you showed out, by any chance?” Harry asked.  
“What, so you remember not to try sleep with her next time? No way, that’d be way too easy.” Zayn answered with a laugh, earning himself a slap to the back of the head. “Ow!”  
“You deserved it, twat.” Harry snapped jokingly.  
“Prick.”  
“Asswipe.”  
“Fucking...” Zayn hesitated, trying to come up with a good one. “Jerk!”  
“Dickweed.”  
“Where do you come up with these names?”  
“I’m just incredibly intelligent. It gets me girls, or dick. Whichever I feel like, really.” Harry replied, crossing his arms and leaning back smugly.  
“Um, no it doesn’t. You get girls, or dick, by flaunting yourself all over campus and putting out after just a glance your way.” Zayn retorted with an equally smug grin.  
“Tomato, tomato.” Harry waved him off and jumped off the counter, putting the carton of juice away before leaning on the bench next to Zayn. “Have you seen Louis’ place?” he added with a smirk.  
“Yeah man, we really fucked it up last night, eh?” He replied, laughing which Harry joined in on.  
“Oh yeah,” He answered with a grin. “Do actually remember what happened? Cause I have no fucking clue. The last thing I remember I was making out with Kasey then she left and that Rick guy threw himself on me so I took him up to my room.”  
“Oh man,” Zayn shook his head. “Yeah, you did Rick so hard he left with a limp, then you came back down stairs, Taylor and El on each arm and he played truth or dare.”  
Harry nodded and closed his eyes as he smiled. “Oh yeah, I remember now.”  
After Harry was dared to trash Louis’ house, he took Zayn and their friend Liam to help him. They threw toilet paper rolls up and over the roof, drew on the windows and egged the walls, all while a party was raging on inside. They must have been pretty drunk to not notice everything Harry and his mates did.  
Zayn scoffed and rolled his eyes as he took in Harry’s look. He was reminiscing and was clearly turned on.  
“Rick was good.” Harry hummed.  
“Oi, cool it!” Zayn chastised, smacking his leg. “Besides, it wasn’t him who came down here this morning.”  
“Yeah, it was...” Harry trailed off, trying to remember the name. “Jay, Jane, Jess- What?”  
Harry asked when he opened his eyes and took in Zayn’s dumbfounded expression.   
Zayn blinked at him a few times before he answered. “It was Hannah. It doesn’t even start with a J. What the hell man?” He laughed towards the end, completely at a loss for words at Harry’s memory.  
“There’s only a limited amount of names this beautiful head can store.” Harry explained, swishing his head side to side to show off his hair.  
“You need to cut that hair.” Zayn commented, ruffling it as he walked past to grab a second plate for the pancakes.  
Harry’s hair was beginning to get unruly and he had recently taken to holding it all back with a bandana. People seemed to like it, anyway. He was getting endless compliments for it.  
“You’re just jealous that I get more action that you, pussy.” Harry teased, poking his tongue out.  
“Whatever, you horny fuck.” Zayn replied, picking up the plate of pancakes and placing it on a tray.  
He moved over to the fridge to grab out the carton of juice and a couple of glasses.  
“Is that for her or you?” Harry asked watching Zayn with the carton.   
“What? This?” Zayn replied, holding it up. “It’s for both of us.” He turned to the cabinet to get two glasses and added them to the tray.  
“Well, just a heads up.” Harry informed. “I drink from that carton every morning.”  
Zayn slowly turned around with a grossed-out expression to see Harry smirking as he watched his friend.   
“You’re disgusting, you know that?” Zayn told him, putting the juice on the bench next to where Harry was lounging. “Write your name on it or something, it’s all yours now.”  
“Thanks mate.” Harry said smugly, still leaning back against the wall as he sat on the counter with his arms crossed. “Will do.”  
“Fuckwit.” Zayn commented under his breath as he smiled. Even though Harry was a complete dickhead at times and incredibly rude and selfish, he was his best friend and he couldn’t help but love the dork.  
“Happy fucking!” Harry waved and called out after his friend as he watched him pick up the tray, flip him the finger and return upstairs to his girl.  
Harry smiled to himself. What a great life he led. Fucking randoms every night of the week. Getting piss drunk at parties. Ruling the school and being the most sought after guy on campus.  
He put his hands behind his head and hummed in happiness as he closed his eyes, reliving the previous night’s events.  
“Hey hey hey! What have we here?” A loud voice boomed as another person entered the kitchen.  
“Fuck, Liam.” Harry replied “Where’d you end up last night?”   
Liam clapped his hands together and chuckled as he jumped up onto the counter opposite.   
“Chuck us the juice, will you?” he asked, catching the carton after Harry threw it. “I ended up in my large, comfortable bed with Dani, thank you.”  
“Eh, you and your stupid relationship.” Harry rolled his eyes. “Trust me, it’s much more fun to be single.”  
“Oh yeah,” Liam replied sarcastically. “Like you are?”  
“Yep,” Harry tilted his head to the side and smiled. “I’ll have you know, I lead a very happy life.  
“Mmhm.” Liam raised his eyebrows as Harry got off the counter and pulled a pack of smokes from his back pocket and opened the large window before hoping back up and putting one between his lips.  
He pulled a lighter from the drawer under his legs and lit it, taking a long drag. He closed his eyes in ecstasy as he stuck his head out the window and breathed out.  
“Want one?” he asked Liam, turning back.  
“Hit me.” Liam replied, catching the lighter Harry threw and grabbing a cigarette from Harry’s extended hand.  
After deeply inhaling, he blew the smoke towards the open window.  
“Thanks man, I needed that.” He said.   
Harry nodded and hummed as he held the cigarette out the window. “Welcome. Dani’s gonna kill you though.”  
“Dani’s going to what?” A girl with long, curly brown hair asked as she stopped in the doorway, leaning on the frame. It was Danielle, Liam’s girlfriend. She was wearing Liam’s shirt from the night before and a pair of lacy underwear.  
Liam on the other hand had thrown his cigarette out the window as soon as he heard Danielle’s voice from the door and tried to act cool. She didn’t like it when he smoked.  
“That was a waste, man.” Harry shook his head in disappointment “Barely even lit,”  
“Shut up.” Liam hissed as she moved to cross her arms, catching both of their attentions.  
Harry wolf-whistled as he stared at her and nodded approvingly at Liam. “Nice,” He commented.  
She rolled her eyes at Harry’s comment and looked to her boyfriend. “Dani’s going to what?” she repeated.  
“Be fucked by me if she doesn’t put some pants on soon.” Harry teased, earning a kick from Liam. Dani laughed and walked over to her boyfriend, stopping between his legs and leaning in for a kiss.  
She pulled back and smiled at him before turning around and leaning back into him so he could wrap his arms around her.  
“Lucky,” Harry mouthed while her back was still turned. Liam nodded with wide eyes, thankful that she hadn’t picked up on it.  
“Do you have to do that in here?” She asked Harry who was still happily smoking away. “Can’t you take it outside?”  
Harry stared her in the eyes and held the cigarette out the window. “It is outside.” He retorted.  
“Harry,” she said warningly.   
“This isn’t your house. I do what I want.” Harry snapped with a smirk.  
Liam kissed the top of Danielle’s head comfortingly. Harry could be very insensitive sometimes.  
“Hey guys,” Thankfully, the 4th and final member of the boys exclusive ‘popular’ group strolled into the kitchen, Ed.   
“Hey bro,” Harry replied after taking another drag. “How’d you go last night, eh?” he nodded his head slowly and wiggled his eyebrows.  
“I’m not you, I don’t fuck and tell.” Ed countered, making Liam and Danielle both laugh before Dani went to the freezer and pulled out some frozen peas and hand them to Harry.  
“What?” He asked in confusion.  
“For that burn,” she explained with a leer, returning to her position in between Liam’s legs.  
Ed and Liam both laughed again.  
“Whatever,” Harry blew it off. “I don’t need to tell, word about me gets around without any of my help.” He shrugged and leant back.  
“And here comes arrogant Harry again.” Ed commented.  
“Screw you guys,” He laughed along with the rest of them.  
“But honestly, I can’t remember,” Ed explained Harry’s question. “I had that much to drink, I remember trashing... something, and then coming back here. I think there was a girl. I know there was alcohol.”  
“Oh man! You should see it!” Harry exclaimed. “We really fucked it up.”  
“Fucked what up?” Ed asked.  
“What do you think?” Liam added. He kept talking when no one responded “Louis’ place.”  
“It was Louis’ place we trashed last night?” Ed’s eyes went wide. “I had no idea. I was so shitfaced, I just went with it. Is it bad?”  
“Hells yes!” Harry pumped his fist in the air, accidentally dropping his cigarette out the window. “Fuck.” He commented as he stuck his head out after it.  
“You know, when people say they want to fuck your brains out, you’re not supposed to take that literally.” Liam chimed in, shaking his head at the idiot hanging out the window as Ed high fived him.  
“Again? Really Harry?” Danielle asked, completely ignoring Liam. “I thought you were going to stop this after last time?”  
Harry scoffed. “What? After he pissed in my shoes? No way! Its game on!”   
“Yeah!” Ed agreed. “That little fucker’s asking for it.”  
“And my dick.” Harry smirked. “He’s so horny for me, it’s ridiculous.”  
“You know, with the shit you say about him, anyone would think it was you who wanted his dick.” Liam commented.  
“Maybe I do.” Harry quipped.   
“You would.” Ed rolled his eyes.  
“So, he’s hot.” Harry continued. “I would definitely fuck him. It’s him who keeps denying it.”  
Danielle turned around to Liam with a questioning look.  
“It’s true,” he explained. “He does keep denying it.”  
“And it’s pretty obvious he wants it. There so much sexual ten-” Ed added but he was interrupted by a sharp bang on the front door.  
“Niall!” Harry exclaimed, making everyone chuckle except Liam.  
“I can’t stand that kid...” he huffed as Harry jumped off the counter and headed down the hall to open the door, Ed close behind.  
“Aw, it’s okay babe.” Danielle comforted him with a kiss while they waited for Ed and Harry to return.  
.  
“You’re not Niall.” Ed commented as Harry opened the door, revealing their visitor.   
Harry smiled and leaned against the doorframe, trying to look casual. He tilted his head to the side and watched the boy on their veranda.  
“Louis. To what do I owe the pleasure?”


	2. Chapter 2

“Louis. To what do I owe the pleasure?”  
The blue-eyed boy glared at Harry and crossed his arms. “Don’t flatter yourself, Styles.”  
“Now now, Louis.” Harry put his hand on his heart and Ed snickered behind him. “No need for that.”  
“Whatever,” Louis scoffed, rolling his eyes. “I came because Niall asked me to.”  
“Ni! How is that little guy? I miss seeing him around.” Harry asked sincerely. “How’s he holding up at your frat of fun?”  
“I’m not here to make small talk.” Louis snapped.  
“He was going to come over,” Harry continued, completely ignoring Louis. “I haven’t spoken to him in ages. Actually, I haven’t really heard much from him since he moved into the house with you. Though I did see him in the coffeehouse a few days ago-”  
“I heard you fucked Hannah last night.” Louis interrupted, making Harry stop.  
Harry’s smile grew. “Why yes, I do believe I did.”  
“You little,” He surged forward and grabbed the front of Harry’s shirt, pulling him close. “Stay away from her.” He threatened through gritted teeth, their noses almost touching.  
“Come on. Just a one more step closer and you can have me.” Harry teased, making kissing faces at him.  
Louis released him with a shove and turned away, infuriated. Harry let out a chuckle and shut the door on Ed, stepping outside so they were alone.  
As soon as he heard the door close, Louis whipped around so he was face to face with the curly haired devil.  
“I mean it,” he warned. “Stay the fuck away from Hannah.”  
“Right,” Harry nodded, feigning a concentrated look. “Because you guys used to fuck, therefore I can’t touch. I nearly forgot about your stupid rules.”  
“Look, Styles,” Louis took another step closer to him. “We didn’t fuck. We dated. Recently. And she still means a lot to me so don’t break her like you’ve broken everyone else you’ve slept with on campus.”  
“Now that’s fucked up.” Harry commented. “Once you’ve broken up, you can’t keep caring.”  
“Yes I can.” Louis snapped. “Anyway, it’s none of your business. Just don’t touch her.”  
“Or what?” Harry asked. “What are you gonna do to me, pretty boy?”  
Louis’ face turned red as he took a deep breath. Realisation flashed over his face as he came up with something. “I’ll fuck Taylor.”  
It wasn’t a secret that Taylor was in love with Harry. She followed him around everywhere and no matter how badly he treated her or how many times he told her to fuck off, Taylor would always defend him and continue after him like a lost puppy.  
“Who, my personal cheerleader? Like I give a fuck.” Harry retorted with a scoff.  
Louis turned away and ran a hand through his hair before taking another deep breath.  
“I’m not playing this game.” He shook his head as he turned back around.  
“What game?” Harry innocently questioned. “This is me being legit, my friend.”  
“I am not your friend.” Louis replied.  
“No, but you do want to be my boyfriend.” Harry sniggered, pointing to his dimply smile.  
“What? I- no. You’re insane.” Louis stammered, turned red as he got all embarrassed.  
“Whatever you say, I know you want me.” Harry seductively leaned forward so his warm breath hit Louis’ ear, sending shivers down the shorter boy’s spine.  
“I-I don’t. I d-don’t.” Louis whispered, keeping his eyes on the ground as Harry spoke into his ear.  
“You want to bend me over and fuck me. Don’t you?” Harry continued.   
“N-No.” Louis whispered again.  
“Yes.” Harry drew out the word.  
“No.” Louis’ voice was getting smaller and smaller.  
“Louis, it’s okay. Let it happen.” Harry held Louis’ balled up fists in his hand. “I bet this could fit up my ass.” I commented, squeezing them.  
“No!” Louis exclaimed, pushing Harry away. “No, I don’t want you. I don’t know how anyone would. You’re vile.”  
“Such cruel words.” Harry put his hand over his heart again. “You wound me.”  
“Oh fuck off.” Louis cursed, rolling his eyes. “You know, I came here to talk to you normally. Though I don’t know why I ever thought I could.”  
“What are you talking about? I’m perfectly reasonable.” Harry smirked, knowing full well what he was doing.  
This was one of his favourite things to do, wind up Louis. His reactions made Harry’s day.  
“Fuck you.” Louis spat, turning on his heel to storm away.  
Harry laughed, then bit his lip to stop. “Louis, wait.” He called out, running down the street after him.   
He reached forward and grabbed Louis’ arm, spinning him around to face him.   
“C’mon. You can talk. Go.” Harry said.  
Louis watched him for a minute, waiting for some kind of crude comment. When none came, he spoke.  
“Niall asked me to invite you to a party we’re throwing tonight.” Louis spoke calmly. “He wanted you guys there.”  
“All of us?” Harry asked, trying to stifle his laughter. “Are you sure you’re place is in the right condition to be able to handle all of us together?”  
Louis ground his teeth together. “Our place is fine.” He spoke.   
When Louis had woken up that morning and saw the damage Harry and his gang had left for him, he was pissed off to say the least.   
.  
“Louis, please. Deep breaths. Calm down, please.” Niall tried to sooth Louis.  
“He’s a pig. An insufferable, boorish, ignorant pig.” Louis spat.  
“Louis, it’s not that bad. Just calm down, please?” Niall asked.  
“Have you even seen what they’ve done?” Louis barked. “They’ve completely fucking destroyed half the windows, my car has been pissed on, the fucking roof is covered in toilet paper.”   
“Louis, it was a prank, like they always do. You’ve done worse to them before.” Niall reasoned.  
Louis shut his eyes and counted to 10 in his head, breathing deeply the entire time.  
“Just go over there-” Niall tried.  
“Are you insane? Me? Go over there?” Louis asked incredulously.  
“Fuck. Just go over there,” Niall repeated. “And make peace. We’ll have a party tonight so you can all learn to get along, be friends together. I’m so over all this back and forth shit.”  
“I don’t think he’s capable of that, but whatever.” Louis commented, grabbing his jacket from the back of the couch.  
“Louis, please.” Niall begged. “Just make good with him, yeah? Or at least try...”   
“I’ll try, Ni. But he’s a fucking prick. A fucking prick with the most fucked up mind games in the whole fucking world...”  
.  
“Our place is fine.” Louis repeated, shaking that morning’s events from his head.  
“Really?” Harry smiled. “Last time I checked, someone left it pretty fucked up, don’t you say? It must have been some party you had last night for it to be that trashed.”  
“Yeah,” Louis played along. “Must have been the party.”  
Harry pressed his mouth in a line as he tried not to laugh.  
“Well, it seems you’ve got some work to do, cleaning up before this party tonight, so I’ll let you get to it.” Harry said. “Goodbye Lewis.”  
“Fuck you, Styles.” Louis called over his shoulder as he walked away, flipping him the bird.  
Harry stood where he was and waved after him, blowing him kisses.   
“Love you too!”  
.  
“What kind of hell did you put him through this time?” Liam jibed as Harry approached them.  
Liam and Zayn were sitting on the swinging couch in the backyard by their pool, smoking. Neither of the jumped when they heard the back door close.  
“The usual.” Harry laughed, high fiving the both of them as he sat between them on the couch.   
“Smoke?” Liam offered. “I owe you from this morning.”  
“What happened this morning?” Zayn asked as Harry took a cigarette from the pack Liam held out.  
“Dani nearly caught him so he threw it out the window. Only took one drag, too. Such a waste. Such a waste.” Harry shook his head before placing the smoke between his lips and lighting it.  
“Speaking of your bitches, where’d they all go?” he added with a grin.  
“Dani and whoever the fuck Zayn’s chick is went shopping. Ed went to see Niall.” Liam answered, as he smacked Harry’s arm. “And they’re not bitches.”  
Zayn smacked the back of Liam’s head and leant forward to speak over Harry.  
“Perrie. Her name is Perrie and why can’t you remember her name?” Zayn retorted.  
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Liam said with no emotion whatsoever. “How long have you known her?”  
“Yeah man, I have to side with Payno on this one.” Harry admitted. “You’ve literally been sleeping with her since our shindig last Saturday night.”  
“Fuck you both.” Zayn said, taking a drag of his cigarette.  
“So, what’d he want?” Liam asked Harry, returning back to the topic of Louis.  
“Invited us to a party tonight, their place.” Harry answered. “Courtesy of Ni.”  
“Ni!” Liam’s face lit up. “How is that little guy? How’s he doing at Louis’?” He added in a compassionate voice.  
“Our dear friend Lewis wouldn’t say. All he said was that there was a party that we must attend. And that I should stay away from Hannah.”  
“Who?” Liam asked.  
“Hannah. The lovely girl I showed out this morning.” Zayn commented, re-entering the conversation.  
“Harry,” Liam said warningly. “You couldn’t even show her out? At least be a pleasant the morning after you fuck a girl.”  
“Or at least conscious.” Zayn added. “But who the fuck cares? It’s not like he’s gonna try for round two with this chick? Right?”  
“Right.” Harry nodded.   
Liam shook his head. “Anyway, why’d Louis care about this girl?”  
“Apparently they dated or some shit and its ‘against the rules’ so I can’t fuck her anymore. Not that I would. Once is quite enough with that girl.” Harry shivered at the memory.  
Both Liam and Zayn turned to Harry with disgusted expressions.   
“That bad?” Zayn asked  
Harry nodded, inhaling a lung full of smoke.  
“Maybe that’s why Louis’ so fucked up, because she couldn’t give him what he wanted and now he’s all tense and shit.” Liam laughed and the other’s joined in.  
“He needs a good fuck.” Zayn added.  
“Anyway, I think we should go tonight.” Harry said. “We owe it to Niall.”  
“Yeah yeah. We’ll go. But we should probably keep you and Louis away from each other.” Liam replied.  
“Why?” Harry whined. “We get along fine!”  
“Ha!” Zayn’s voice boomed through the room. “Bullshit.”  
“No way. He loves me.” Harry replied.  
“Sure sure.” Zayn replied.  
“You know, I wouldn’t be surprised if he did actually really like you.” Liam interjected. “He seems to be a little obsessed with you.”  
“Well,” Harry indicated to himself. “Can you blame him?”  
“Maybe you can release all his tension.” Zayn offered. “Fuck him good and hard, Styles. Then maybe he wouldn’t be such a prick anymore.”  
“Yes! Do it Harry.” Liam urged.  
“Nah nah,” Harry joked. “I won’t go there until he begs for it. When he wants it, he’ll come running.” He leant back and blew a lung full of smoke up into the air just as the back door slammed.  
“Hey hey hey. What have we here! The three musketeers themselves.” Ed announced as he walked over. As he passed the table, he grabbed a chair and spun it around so he could sit facing the others.  
“Edward.” Harry greeted, pretending to tip an invisible hat towards him.  
“How’d it go with Lou?” He replied. “You know, after you shut the door on me. Last thing I heard was you teasing him, yet again, about wanting you.”  
“Well it’s true.” Harry defended himself.  
“There’s a party.” Liam told Ed as Harry took a long drag. “Smoke?”  
“Nah, just had with Ni. And yeah, he mentioned something about a party.” Ed said. “Some kind of peace offering.”  
“What?” Harry spat.  
“Um, ew.” Ed said, wiping the saliva from his t-shirt. “Fuck you.”  
“What’d you say about a peace offering?” Harry repeated.  
“Niall said that he wanted us all to be friends so he’s doing this party shit for you and Louis to calm the fuck down and chill out.” Ed explained.  
“Oh,” Harry answered. “Okay. I thought we actually had to give them something. And I was like, pft, fuck no.” He laughed.  
“So stupid, but so pretty.” Zayn commented, patting Harry’s curls while Liam hummed in agreement.  
“What else did Niall say?” Liam asked.   
“Not much. Louis still hates Harry. Harry still gets to Louis at times.”  
“Yes!” Harry fist pumped the air.  
“Shut up.” Liam smacked his leg.  
“He’s still with that girlfriend of his, don’t remember her name.” Ed continued as if nothing happened. “He misses his dorm but likes the house. He and Louis are still best buds. That’s pretty much all we talked about.”  
“He doesn’t like getting in the middle of things, does he?” Zayn commented. “Very neutral, that kid, isn’t he?”  
“Yeah, I guess, unless you insult Louis.” Harry chimed in. “Then he’ll have some very choice words for you.”  
“To be fair, you’re a dick to him.” Liam retorted, making Harry turn to him with a smirk.   
“So,” he said. “He likes dicks.”  
“That’s not a valid argument, my friend.” Zayn piped up. “He’s bi.”  
“Well, he likes my dick.” Harry came back.  
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he did.” Zayn gave in, inhaling some more tobacco.  
They all jumped as the heard the front door slam.   
“Shit! That’ll be the girls.” Liam exclaimed, shoving the cigarette in Ed’s hands and trying to look casual as they came out into the back yard.  
Harry’s eyes widened as he took in the appearance of the girls. They both looked incredibly hot and he knew he would fuck them if they weren’t dating his two best friends.  
“Hey guys,” Danielle said as he dumped her shopping bags on the table.  
“How much shit does one woman need to buy?” Liam said and Ed laughed at their piles of new clothes.  
“How much shit does one guy need to say before he stops getting laid?” She retorted as she walked over, the blonde girl following behind.  
“Hey babe,” She whispered in Zayn’s ear after walking over to him. He grabbed her waist and pulled her onto his lap, making her laugh.  
Danielle stood in front of Liam with her hands on her hips. He looked up at her with his puppy dog eyes and apologized, to which she soon gave in.  
She leant down and pecked him quickly before standing up straight. “C’mon Perrie. Let’s put this away before we have to clean for whatever these boys will throw here tonight.”  
Perrie got up just as Harry started talking.  
“No party here tonight girls.” He told them.  
“But it’s Saturday.” Danielle stated,  
“Yes.” Harry replied.  
“You always have parties on Saturdays.”  
“Yes.”  
“But not tonight.”  
“Yes.”  
“Who are you and what have you done with Harry Styles?”  
Liam laughed and pulled her into a hug where his arms were around her legs and his head was on her stomach.  
“We’re going to Louis’” he told her.  
“What? Now I know you’ve gone insane.” She replied with a laugh.  
“Some shit about keeping the peace. Niall’s idea.” Ed added.  
“Are we all going?” She asked.  
“Yep, he came over and invited us all.” Harry chimed in.  
“Oh, you saw Niall! How nice-”  
“Not Niall,” Zayn interrupted, looking at Harry’s smug grin.  
“Zac?” She asked, clearly confused.  
“Nope, not Zac.” Liam clarified, also looking at Harry.  
Once all eyes were on him, he sat up. “Louis.” He stated.  
“Louis?” she questioned.  
“Louis.” Harry repeated.  
“Did you talk to him?” Danielle asked.  
“You betcha.” Harry leant back again, with a smirk.  
“Oh dear God...” she put a hand on her head before pointing at Liam. “You. Come with me. Explain.”  
She turned around and walked back to the table to grab her things, Liam following behind with a hand on her lower back.  
“Whipped.” Zayn coughed to cover it up but it was obviously intended for him to hear.  
“Fucker.” Liam shouted over his shoulder, making them all laugh.  
“Does ‘everyone is invited’ include me?” Perrie asked Zayn.  
“Of course,” He smiled sweetly and kissed her.   
“Couples,” Harry rolled his eyes and turned away from them.  
He took a long drag from his cigarette as Perrie got up to leave and get ready for the party.  
“You can talk,” Zayn scoffed after she left. “You and Louis are like an old married couple.”  
“Yeah, a tattooed, swearing, loud and offensive married couple.” Ed agreed with a smirk.  
“Whatever,” Harry commented, pretending not to care even though he was smiling.  
“You gonna go after him tonight?” Ed asked.  
“Nah,” Harry replied. “He’ll come to me. Just you wait.”  
“So confident, Styles.” Zayn taunted.   
“He loves me, so he will.” Harry explained. “I don’t need to do any of the chasing. Once he stops denying his feelings for me, he’ll be all over me.”  
“And then you’ll fuck some random and break his heart.” Zayn replied. “That’s the cycle.”  
“Yep,” Harry agreed. “That’s how it works. We fuck. And then we fuck the next person. And the next person. Lots of sex. No feelings. It’s really quite great.”  
Ed agreed and hi fived him as they both laughed.  
“Don’t you get tired of it?” Zayn asked them.  
“Um, you were like this until a week ago so you can shut the fuck up.” Ed pointed out.  
“Touché,” Zayn replied. “But c’mon. It’s nice to have someone.”  
“I do have someone. I have multiple someones. Sometimes, I even have more than one someone in one night.” Harry replied.  
“You’ll see,” Zayn commented under his breath. “One day, you’ll see what you’re missing.”  
“Whatever Zayniekins.” Harry waved him off.  
“Alright, well I’m off.” Ed announced, standing and putting out Liam’s smoke. “I’m getting coffee with Taylor.”  
“Ooo,” Harry said. “Can you tell her, if she’s going to come tonight, to please not wear underwear like she did the other week? I like her much better that way.” He added with a mischievous grin.  
“Jesus, Harry.” Zayn sighed, taking a drag.  
Harry just laughed and leant back in the swinging couch, happily smoking away with his closest mate as Ed left.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry flushed and exited the bathroom, quickly washing and drying his hands as he went.  
Harry and Zayn eventually finished their cigarettes and had gone inside. It was late afternoon and being boys, they were hungry so they congregated in the kitchen.  
Harry briefly remembered hearing a phone ring while he was in the bathroom.  
“Who was on the phone?” he asked Zayn as he opened the fridge.  
“Niall.” He replied, talking a bite from his apple from his position lounging on a bench top.   
Harry had his head still buried in the fridge. “Why don’t we have any food?” He inquired.  
“Well maybe if you went shopping-” Zayn tried.  
“Nuh uh. No way. It’s not my turn.” Harry interrupted, snapping up out of the fridge and Zayn shook his head.  
“Mate. I think it is.” He chuckled. “I went two weeks ago, then Ed went last week, so it’s back to you.”  
“No way!” Harry exclaimed. “I went the week before you.”  
“Whatever, man. Check with Liam. He deals with all this shit.” Zayn told him, taking another bite.  
“I’m hungry.” Harry whined, leaning back down into the fridge. Zayn ignored him and eventually, he came out of the fridge with a defeated look.  
He jumped up onto the counter opposite Zayn and reached behind him into the cabinet. His face lit up when he found the box of Lucky Charms and started devouring them.  
“Dude. Bowl.” Zayn told him, throwing a bowl to him which he caught and used happily.  
“So what’d Niall want?” Harry asked in between mouthfuls.  
“Just about the party tonight.” Zayn explained. “He wants us to be nice. No pranking basically.”  
Harry groaned. “Why?” He stopped his hand halfway to his mouth.   
“Yeah,” Zayn continued. “We have to behave. All get along.”  
Harry scoffed. “Like thats gonna happen.”   
“Harry,” Zayn warned. “You should listen.”  
“Pft. Yeah right.” Harry laughed.  
“He said Louis was upset when he came back from here this morning.” Zayn told him, making Harry stop laughing.  
“What? Why?” He asked. “I was joking, like I always am.”  
“He said he came in, slammed the door and locked himself in his room for an hour or so, then went out and said he’d be back for the party.” Zayn shrugged.  
“He’s such a pussy.” Harry rolled his eyes and continued eating.  
“Look man, I know you don’t get along and I don’t know why, but for tonight, can you at least try? He was pretty mad by the sounds of things.” Zayn pleaded.  
Harry thought for a moment.  
He didn’t hate Louis. Actually, it was quite the opposite. Harry gave him a hard time, initially because it was funny to see him get worked up, now he just did it because it was the only way they interacted.  
He thought he was seriously attractive and would be a great fuck. Harry thought they could actually be friends, if only Louis could handle it.  
But Harry doubted he could. Louis was too much of a cry baby to keep up with him.  
Harry shook his head. “We do get along. We’re besties.” He smiled cheesily at Zayn with a mouthful of cereal.  
“Harry,” Zayn laughed, but caught himself. “C’mon, please be nice? I don’t know how much more the kid can take.”  
Harry huffed. “Like I give a fuck.”  
“Do you give a fuck about Ni? Cause that’s who’s asking you right now. Not Louis. Would you do it for him?”  
Niall was one of his best friends, and Harry did care about him, regardless of the fact that he liked the whiny brat.  
“I s’pose...” Harry admitted. “But only for Ni.”  
“Thank-you.” Zayn said, raising his hands to the ceiling. “Thank God.”  
“Mate...” Harry shook his head shamefully. “It’s not that big of a deal. Chill. I am capable of being nice, you know.”  
“Bullshit.” Zayn commented. “You’re only ever nice to Liam, Ed and I. But for everyone else, you just tolerate.”  
Harry held his hands up in defeat. “This is true.”  
“You dick.” Zayn laughed.  
They heard the front door slam and both looked through the connected lounge to the foyer where Ed came storming in with a pissed off expression.  
“So how was our slutty friend?” Harry called out, referring to Taylor, as Ed stamped upstairs.  
Harry and Zayn looked at each other with alarmed expressions as they heard him slam his bedroom door. The moment they were sure it was shut, they burst out laughing.  
“Wow... What’s so funny?”  
Liam had come down stairs and was standing in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest.  
“Ed’s pissed off again.” Zayn said.  
“When is he not.” Liam joked as he came further into the room and jumped up on the counter next to Harry.  
“When he’s in fits of hysterics.” Zayn continued.  
“So whatcha up to, bro?” Harry asked Liam.  
“Ugh. Dani had me explain what you did to Louis and then she went to Perrie’s to get ready for tonight.” Liam groaned. “After she had me help her pick her outfit.”  
Zayn coughed loudly to cover his words. “Whipped.” He said under his breath.  
“Dick.” Liam replied, his eyes narrowed as he grabbed a handful of Harry’s cereal to throw at Zayn.  
All three of their heads snapped to the lounge room as Ed entered the room and threw himself down onto the couch.  
Harry Liam and Zayn looked at each other tentatively before Harry spoke.  
“Ed,” He called. “You okay?”  
All he got in response was a muffled groan.  
“I’ll take that as a no.” Harry stated before leaning back on the counter and resuming his eating of the Lucky Charms.  
“Ed,” Liam called this time. “What happened with Taylor?”  
The ginger haired boy slowly sat up and looked at the others.  
“We got coffee.” He said simply.  
The others shared a look again.   
“And what happened with the coffee?” Zayn asked.  
“Nothing. The coffee was fine.” Ed told them.  
“Then what’s the matter, buddy?” Harry asked with his mouthful.  
“Dude. Chew.” Zayn told him, kicking his shin across the gap.  
“Ow! What was that for? Bitch.” Harry retorted, doing the same and kicking Zayn’s shin.  
“For being a dirty grub.” Zayn told him as he kicked him back, starting a full fledged war between them.  
“Hey, hey, enough.” Liam said breaking them up. “Can we all just agree that Harry’s a pig and get back Ed?”  
“Sure,” Zayn replied smugly as he leant back and crossed his arms.  
“Whatever,” Harry scoffed, chewing so that half the food fell out of his mouth purposely.   
“Gross.” Zayn commented under his breath, making Liam shoot him a glare. “Sorry,” he apologised  
“Ed,” Harry said. “What’d the shedevil do this time?”  
“Nothing, Harry.” Ed snapped. “She did nothing wrong.”  
“Then what’s the deal?” He asked.  
“Niall came in and joined us.” He stated before he sighed and rolled onto his side.  
“Sweet!” Zayn exclaimed and high fived Harry across the gap. “Dude, why’s that a bad thing?”  
“Because he told me I can’t come tonight. I’m not allowed.” Ed replied, still on the couch.  
“Ha. Sucks to be you.” Harry laughed, putting his now empty bowl in the sink.  
“Harry.” Liam scolded him before turning back to Ed. “Why would he do that?” He asked.  
“He said that the whole idea was for us all to be friends, and Louis can’t stand me so he’s convinced something bad will happen, therefore I can’t go.” He barked as he sat up and stared at the again. “Which it would, but that’s beside the point.”  
“Um mate, you and Louis cannot be in the same room. We worked that out the hard way.” Harry told him.  
“It’s his fucking fault, if he wasn’t such a fucking poof...” He said.  
“Well, maybe-” Zayn tried to explain but Ed wouldn’t hear it.  
“I don’t get it, he hates Harry too!” he exclaimed.  
“No, he loves me, he’s just in denial.” Harry piped up, earning a smack to the head.  
“Dude,” Liam chimed in, turning to Ed. “If you came, we could guarantee a brawl between you. At least with Harry and him, we know they wouldn’t hurt each other. They’re too in love to do that.” He added as he nudged Harry jokingly, receiving a punch in his arm.  
“Shut the fuck up. He loves me, it’s not mutual.” Harry replied.  
“Whatever man, you two will fuck. It’s inevitable.” Liam continued, shaking his head.  
“And besides, Harry’s promised to be nice tonight.” Zayn added. “Which he will.” He continued, glaring at Harry before he looked down at his phone and began typing.  
“Yeah yeah, just don’t make a big deal out of it.” Harry replied, rolling his eyes.  
“Whatever, I don’t give a fuck. I’m just gonna have a party here. Zac will help me.” Ed growled before getting up and coming to the kitchen.  
He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and jumped up next to Zayn so the four were facing each other.  
“Don’t worry man, it’ll probably be gay anyway.” Harry scoffed.  
“Cause that’s politically correct...” Liam said under his breath.  
“Perrie’s not coming.” Zayn announced, his eyes still glued to the phone. “Her and Dani are going to some new club opening with Taylor instead.”  
“What? I didn’t get a text-” Liam began, pulling out his phone. “Oh, yes I did. Never mind.”  
“Does this mean that I won’t have to deal with blondie tonight!” Harry asked excitedly. “YES!”  
Ed shook his head as a smile crept onto his face for the first time that afternoon. “She’s not that bad.”  
“Yes, yes she is.” Harry stated.  
“She kinda is...” Zayn added, putting his phone away. “Anyway, that leaves just me, Liam and Harry, yeah?”  
“Yeah man.” Liam replied with a nod and Harry agreed.  
“Sweet, I’m ready to get shitfaced.”


	4. Chapter 4

Harry and his friends strolled up the front lawn of Louis’ frat house with smug grin’s painted across their faces.  
Louis and Niall were inside with the rest of the party, nervously awaiting their arrival. When they did walk through the door, Niall clapped his friend on the back reassuringly before he walked over to them, leaving Louis talking to some girls.  
“Harry, Liam, Zayn!” Niall exclaimed, raising both his arms in the air as he spilt beer from the cup. “You made it!”  
He wasn’t drunk, not yet. Though he would be by the end of the night.  
The others laughed and greeted him in return. “Ni!” Liam replied. “How are ya, bud?”  
“Good mate, I’m good.” Niall told him.  
“Even here?” Harry asked, gesturing around the house "In this place?"  
“Yes Harry.” Niall rolled his eyes. “Even here. I thought you were going to be nice tonight.”   
“I am I am!” Harry replied with a laugh. “Promise.”  
“Good. Now please, don’t piss him off.” Niall begged making Harry sigh.  
“Fine.” He replied. “Tonight can be, like, a temporary truce.”  
“I don’t give a fuck what you call it, mate. Just do it.” Niall laughed. “Beer’s in the fridge in the kitchen, help yourselves.”  
“Thanks man.” Zayn replied and Niall shook his head.  
“Don’t worry about it. The amount of beer I’ve had at yours...” He trailed off with a laugh which the others all joined in on.  
“Speaking of, I heard there was something going on at yours tonight?” He asked.  
“Uh, yeah.” Liam replied. “Ed and Zac are having a party or something.”  
“He’s mad at me, isn’t he.” Niall asked, his smile falling from his face. “Cause I told him he couldn’t come here.”  
The three all shared a look.  
“He was.” Zayn said. “But he’s not anymore. We all talked about it and he gets it.”  
“Sure?” Niall continued. “I feel really bad.”  
“Don’t worry man. He’s fine.” Liam reassured him.  
“Okay.” Niall nodded, smiling a little. “I’m gonna head back to Louis, see if he’s alright. Have fun tonight boys!” He waved before adding quickly “Be nice” to Harry before disappearing into the crowded lounge room.  
“Don’t worry man,” Zayn called out after him. “We’ll make sure he is.”  
“Ugh.” Harry rolled his eyes. “Where’s the beer. This is going to be a long night.”  
.  
Louis watched the three guys move from the entryway to the kitchen with a scowl.  
“Louis.” Niall waved a hand in front of his face. “You zoned out.”  
Louis shook his head and looked back at his blonde friend. “Sorry. What were you saying?” he slurred a little.  
“Woah.” Niall said, reaching out to take the cup from his hands. “Let’s slow down a little, yeah?”  
“No way!” Louis replied, yanking his hand back. “It’s only 9:30!”  
Niall rolled his eyes, giving up on trying to take the cup. “What were you looking at?” He asked.  
“What? I, uh, nothing.” Louis replied, a little shocked.   
“You were staring at them, weren’t you.” Niall sighed. “Don’t worry about them. They’ll be nice and besides, this could finally make them stop with all this fucking pranking shit.”  
“You think?” He asked.  
“Yeah man. Maybe after tonight, if we could all just get along at this party, it’ll stop.”  
Louis smirked “Yeah.” He nodded. “Yeah. But you gotta admit, the pranks are pretty fucking fun.”  
“Louis,” Niall said warningly.   
“Oh come on Ni! It’s fun!” He laughed.   
“Yeah, not when you’re on the receiving end of their shit.” Niall reasoned. “I thought you hated it?”  
“I do hate it.” Louis retorted.  
“But you love it?” Niall said, confused.  
“Yes.” Louis stated.  
“Like you love him?” Niall asked making Louis sigh.  
He hesitated but after a while, he spoke. “Yeah.” He breathed, putting his drink in the hands of a girl who was walking by.  
“Hey thanks!” She called out as she walked away with it. Louis just smiled in response.  
“You’re right, I’m gonna slow down.” Louis admitted, running his hand through his hair.  
“You need to stop beating yourself up over this.” Niall comforted him.   
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Louis sighed. “Why do I feel like this, Ni? Why?”  
“Love’s a weird thing.” Niall replied. “You can’t explain it.”  
Louis rubbed his face in frustration. “This wasn’t a good idea. We shouldn’t have invited them.”  
“Louis,” Niall sighed. “C’mon, let’s go enjoy the party. Just forget about it, okay?”  
“Okay.” He nodded.   
“I’m gonna go find them, hang with them for a while, okay? You’re welcome to come, by the way.” Niall said before turning and leaving Louis alone.  
He sighed and sat down on a couch where a couple making out kept bumping him. He was uncomfortable, but didn’t want to move. He wanted to think.  
This always happened, whenever he thought about Harry.  
He couldn’t help but think that his feelings were very much like their pranking relationship.  
I hate that I love him. I hate that he treats me the way he does but I still feel like this. And somehow, I love it. It’s the only way he ever talks to me. The only way I get to see him is through this stupid game we play. Louis thought to himself.  
He groaned and closed his eyes as he threw his head back on the couch.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
“Fucking finally.” Harry said as Liam chucked him a can of beer from the fridge.  
The kitchen wasn’t all that crowded, thankfully, there were only a few other people around. Harry saw Louis sitting on the couch and smirked before turning his back and forgetting about the kid. If he was supposed to be nice tonight, then the best way to avoid a fight was to avoid him entirely.  
“Calm down.” Zayn laughed as he caught his can from Liam.  
“You’re welcome.” Liam said sarcastically as he jumped up onto the counter next to Harry.  
All three of them took a long gulp from their drinks and sat back just as Niall walked over to them.  
“Hey hey! Enjoying yourselves?” He said as he stood next to Zayn.  
“Yeah man. Great party.” Liam replied as he nodded.  
“Have you spoken to Louis yet?” Niall asked the group.  
“Nah not yet,” Zayn replied. “Why?”  
“Just, go easy on him, yeah?” Niall asked. “Please.”  
“Okay, for the thousandth time. Fine.” Harry replied. “You can stop asking now.”  
“I’m serious.” Niall said, his smile dropping. “You don’t understand how much this means to him.” He added under his breath.  
Harry looked confusedly between Liam and Zayn before letting out a little laugh. “What?”  
“Just, please.” Niall repeated one last time before turning away back to the other room.  
“Woah woah woah!” Harry exclaimed, jumping off the bench and grabbing Niall’s arm. “Not so fast.”  
Niall tried to pull away but Harry held on. “What did you just say?”  
Niall looked hesitant, but sighed and gave in. “You don’t understand how much this means to him.”  
“How much what means to him?” Harry asked.  
“You being here, and especially you being nice. It- It means a lot.”  
“Why?” Harry scoffed.  
“Cause he loooves you.” Zayn joked, high fiving Liam.  
“Yeah,” Liam agreed before he started making kissy faces and laughing along with Zayn.  
“Shut the fuck up.” Niall warned. “Just leave him alone about it."  
“What?” Liam asked, immediately stopping his fun. “That was a joke.”  
"Fuck." Niall said.  
"What?" Zayn asked.  
"Oh my... fuck." Harry's eyes widened.  
"Shit." Niall cursed.  
“Are you serious?” Harry asked Niall, raising his voice. “You better not be fucking with me or I swear.”  
“Shut up.” Niall hissed. “You’re so fucking loud, he’ll think something’s up.”  
“Well something is up!” Harry replied. “What the fuck are you saying?”  
“Nothing,” Niall said quickly. “Just drop it.”  
“I can’t drop it, not now.” Harry shook his head. “Spill.”  
Niall just stared back at him. He opened his mouth to talk but instead, he turned and bolted through the crowd, leaving Harry and his friends in a stunned silence.  
“Fuck.” Harry said.  
Then, Liam and Zayn burst out laughing.  
“Shut up!” Harry whined, suppressing his giggle. “It’s not funny.”  
“Then why are you laughing?” Zayn asking, still trying to contain himself.  
Harry let out a laugh but caught himself. “I’m not,” He said, biting his lip.  
Liam wiped his eyes and took a few deep breaths. “So he actually loves you, hey.”  
“Fuck.” Harry blinked a few times in realisation. “He does.”  
“HA!” Zayn laughed. “You’re fucked mate.”  
“It’s not as if he’s the only one who’s ever loved me after I’ve teased them.” Harry reasoned. “It’ll just be like all those other times where I’ve had to break a few hearts.”  
“But its Louis,” Liam reminded him. “You can’t do that to him. Or Ni will hate you.”   
Harry took a deep breath before sculling the remainder of his drink. “Fuck.”  
He ran his hand through his hair.  
So Louis actually did love him. And Harry couldn’t do a thing about it. Well, not what he normally did anyways.  
Harry didn't love Louis. Harry didn't love anyone or anything. Except maybe sex. He didn't do relationships or feelings. He just teased.  
But if Louis loved him, then the teasing would have to stop. He couldn't lead him on, especially with Niall being his best friend.   
He looked over to the couch where he last saw Louis. He was now standing near it and talking to Niall and a few girls. They were touching the boys arms and being overly flirty.  
Harry felt a pang of jealousy run through him. Only he was allowed to be flirty with Louis and only he was allowed to tease him.  
Harry clenched his fist, crushing the can in his hand as he did so.  
“Jesus, Harry.” Liam exclaimed with a laugh. “Calm down, mate.”  
“Whatever.” Harry replied, grabbing another drink from the fridge. He looked at it in his hand before putting it back. “I need something stronger,” He muttered to himself before reaching up to the top shelf and grabbing down the bottle of rum.   
He poured himself some in the bottom of a cup before filling the rest of it with coke and taking a long gulp.  
Then, he turned and started walking towards Louis and Niall.  
“Woah, Harry. What are you doing?” Zayn grabbed his arm.  
“I need to talk to him. He doesn’t get to fuck with my head like this. I’m the one who has control over him, not the other way around.” Harry snapped before marching off through the crowd.  
Liam and Zayn shared a look before getting up to follow him, knowing it may not end well, regardless of Niall’s plea to Harry.  
When Harry gets something in his head, there’s no stopping him.


	5. Chapter 5

"Harry, what are you doing?" Liam called out after Harry.  
He turned around. "I'm going to talk to Louis."   
"Harry, I don't think that's a good idea." Liam commented as Zayn walked over to the two guys.  
"And why not? I'm supposed to be nice, right? I just want to talk to him." Harry retorted with a sneer.  
"Harry, please just don't talk to him while we're here. We don't want to make a scene tonight." Liam warned, making Harry scoff.  
"I won't make a scene, I just want to talk." Harry said.  
"Just let him go," Zayn piped up, speaking to Liam. "Besides, it's kinda funny watching Louis get all rilled up."  
Liam rolled his eyes and took a deep breath. "Fine. Do what you like, Harry. But if you piss him off and Niall finds out, you'll be in deep shit." he warned.  
Harry sighed. "don't worry, Li. I'll be nice, just like Ni wants."  
"You'd better." Liam whispered under his breath.  
"C'mon. I need a drink, then we'll come back to watch the show." Zayn winked at Harry and pulled Liam away.  
"I won't make a show." Harry laughed at his friend before turning around to find Louis.  
.  
Louis quite liked the girls he was talking to. They were tall and blonde and definitely fuckworthy. Maybe they would help get his mind of the curly haired devil that constantly invaded his thoughts.  
"So you live here?" one of them asked.  
"Yeah," he replied half heatedly. He wanted a distraction, but he just wasn't really in the mood.  
Not after he'd just seen Harry.  
"That's really cool." the other one commented, resting her hand on his upper arm.  
He smirked and wrapped the arm around her waist, pulling her close.   
Yes, she would do quite nicely.   
"Louis," a deep, scratchy voice echoed behind him.  
He turned around to see none other than Harry standing there, grinning like a drunken idiot.  
Great, he thought. Just great.  
"Hi Harry." the girls chirped, immediately leaning away from Louis and towards the other lad, making Louis' blood boil.  
Why did everyone like him so much better? What was it Harry had that he didn't?  
"Hello girls," Harry chuckled. "How are we this evening?"  
Louis scowled. Harry only said shit like that when he was trying to pull. He became all fancy and overly polite to try and win their hearts before bedding them and leaving before the sun rose the following morning.   
"Great, now that you're here." one of the girls replied, kissing his cheek.  
"Louis," he repeated. "how are you tonight?" he smriked.  
"Fine." he replied.  
"Well that's fantastic, we wouldn't want out gracious host having a less than great time, would we girls?" Harry continued, a hint of sarcasm in his tone.  
"Of course not!" The girls chorused, staring lovingly at Harry while he just watched Louis.  
"Well, I should go-" Louis began but was interrupted.  
"No!" Harry insisted. "stay, have a chat with us."  
As he spoke, he fell back into the now vacated couch and both the girls tucked themselves under his arms as he propped his feet up on the coffee table.  
"Can you not do that?" Louis asked, trying to move Harry's feet.  
"Oh, sorry." Harry replies, a sweet smile on his face that made Louis simultaneously want to kiss and smack him.  
"But seriously, stay and talk. You know I love talking to you." Harry continued as the girls started kissing his face.  
Louis didn't say anything. He sculled the remainder of his drink, ground his teeth together and turned away, leaving Harry with his hook ups and him with a pain in his heart. He didn't know why he let it get to him. He shouldn't be feeling like that. He thought he needed to get over his stupid crush and being around him wasn't helping, so he left.  
He pushed his way through the crowd towards the front door, only to be stopped a few steps short by Niall.  
"Hey, what's up?" The blonde asked, clearly seeing how upset Louis was.  
"Nothing, I just need some air." Louis replied with a small smile.   
Even though he wanted more than anything to tell Niall about Harry's behaviour, he knew it would damage their relationship, so he kept quiet.  
Louis pushed open the front door of the frat house to see people all over their front lawn and red cups littered everywhere.  
He sighed and pushed past the people until he reached the side of the house. They had a small courtyard with a nice stone seat and the most appealing thing about it, it was empty.  
He sat on the bench and put his head in his hands. he took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes. When he opened them and looked up, he was met with the one sight he didn't want to see.  
Harry.  
"Hey, are you okay?" he asked.  
"Leave me alone, Harry. I'm not in the mood right now." Louis replied, looking down at the pavers.  
"Are you crying?" Harry asked and Louis couldn't tell whether or not he was being sincere or mocking him, so he kept his eyes down and didn't reply.  
Harry moved so he could sit beside him but Louis scooted away to the edge of the bench.  
"Hey, don't be like that." Harry said, moving closer to him so their legs were almost touching.  
"Please, just leave." Louis begged, still not looking up.  
He wasn't crying, but he was close to it and if Harry didn't leave soon, he might have burst.  
"Talk to me." Harry asked.  
"No."  
"Please?"   
"Why?" Louis asked, finally looking up at him.  
"Cause I wanna talk to you." Harry replied with a smile.   
Louis looked at him for a minute, trying to decide whether or not to let him in. He wanted to, but Harry's always been mean to him and played with him, so he wasn't sure.   
"Just fucking leave me be." He said finally, looking down at the ground.  
"Lou," Harry said softly. "I can help."   
Louis looked up at him, eyes wide and a little cloudy from the alcohol.  
"You called me Lou" he said, astounded. "You've always called me Louis, but you just said Lou."  
Maybe he had had a little to much to drink.  
Harry smiled and let out a light, awkward laugh. "Yeah, I guess I did. I don't have to, if you don't like it-"   
"No." Louis interrupted. "I like it."  
Harry smiled and scratched the back of his neck while Louis grinned at him.   
"Can I ask you something?" Louis said, breaking the silence.  
"Sure," Harry replied.  
Louis took a deep breath and looked down, preparing himself for the answer.  
"Why are you so mean all the time?" Louis blurted out when he finally looked up. He swayed a little from moving his head too fast and Harry reached out to steady him.  
"Woah." Louis said, blinking a few times and holding his head.  
"Hey, maybe we should go back inside." Harry commented, avoiding Louis' question and making him even more angry.  
Drunk people are subject to quick mood swings if something triggers them and Harry had just found that out.  
"You can but I'm not." Louis stated sassily.  
"Lou-"   
"I changed my mind." He interrupted. "Don't call me that."  
"Okay," Harry said slowly, suddenly wary of the ticking time bomb he was sitting beside.  
It was only a matter of time before Louis completely cracked it at him and he was hoping to avoid it at all costs.  
"We can stay." He continued. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay."  
"Well I am so you can leave." Louis snapped.  
"Do you really want me to?" Harry asked, putting his hand on Louis' thigh.  
He felt him flinch beneath his hand, but he didn't make any move to make him move it away, so he kept it there.  
Louis was still staring at the ground while Harry watched his eyes.  
Slowly, Louis looked up into Harry's eyes and met him in a meaningful gaze.  
It was silent, neither of them spoke and neither of them could hear anything around them. It was just the two of them, together, in that moment.  
Louis gulped but still didn't answer Harry's question. He was still wary about Harry's intentions for being outside with him, but he couldn't think straight. In the state he was in, there was no good judgement.  
Ever so slowly, he leaned closer and closer towards Harry's lips.  
Harry's eyes fluttered closed and he waited for Louis to meet him. He felt his hot breath on his mouth.  
Louis closed his eyes too and reached up to cup Harry's face.   
"Whey hey! Go Harry!" Zayn's loud voice snapped them both back to reality.  
Louis instantly moved away and looked between the two other boys who had found them.  
"You owe me $50 Payne." Zayn continued, stumbling around and spilling his drink everywhere.  
Liam huffed and fumbled around for his pocket while spilling half his own drink to find some cash for his friend.  
They were both incredibly drunk, but the only thing Louis could comprehend was what he had said.  
You owe me $50 Payne.  
"What?" Louis spluttered, looking to Harry.  
He was sitting there shocked looking between his friends and Louis.  
"I-I don't know what they're talking about." He told Louis, reaching for his hands but he pulled away viciously.  
"Get away from me." Louis hissed.  
"Lou-"  
"DONT CALL ME THAT." he shouted, making Harry immediately stop.  
He got up and walked over to his friends.  
"What the fuck are you doing?" He asked them.  
"Nothing." Liam slurred, leaning against the wall for support.  
"Bull-fucking-shit." Harry spat.  
"Really, it's nothing you should be concerned about." Zayn said before he bent over and threw up all over the wall and Liam's hand.   
"Fuck you." He said before turning back to Louis who was sitting on the bench having watched the whole exchange.   
"Louis," Harry sat down next to him as his friends scampered off. "I'm so sorry. I really don't know what that was."  
Louis watched him with a hurt expression.  
"Louis," Harry repeated. "Please."   
He moved closer so their legs were touching again and Louis didn't move away.  
He thought about it, and came to the conclusion that he thought Harry was being sincere.   
He smiled and nodded before looking sheepishly down to the ground.  
Harry beamed and put his hand back on his leg. "So can we talk now?"  
Louis looked up at him and nodded, biting his bottom lip and he started and Harry's.  
"Okay, so what's bothering you?" Harry asked.  
Louis looked around, he wasn't entirely sure what he was looking for but soon enough, his eyes found Harry again.   
He smiled and looked at his lips again. Harry smiled back and moved closer, but slowly so Louis wouldn't notice.  
He opened his lips partially while he waited for Louis to speak.  
Louis watched him for a minute before bringing his hands back up to Harry's face. He cupped his cheeks and moved slowly forward.   
When their lips met, Louis' whole body weakened. He leant forward into Harry's chest, partially because he couldn't hold himself up anymore and partially to deepen the kiss.  
Harry's tongue swiped over Louis' bottom lip and he immediately opened his mouth, letting him in.  
Louis sighed against Harry's mouth and moved his hands to Harry's hair, eliciting a moan from him.  
Harry grabbed Louis' waist and picked him up, moving him into his lap so Louis was straddling him.  
Louis made a noise in pleasure and ground down onto him.   
"Fuck." Harry moaned against Louis' mouth as he pulled his hair.  
Harry pulled back from the kiss, his semi hard on becoming more and more apparent with each passing moment.  
"W-We should move this somewhere more private." Harry breathed and Louis nodded in agreement, his head spinning from and overdose on alcohol and Harry.  
He took Harry's hand and got up, leading them back inside the house and up the stairs to his bedroom, Harry smirking the whole way to the people watching.   
Once they made it to the hallway where Louis room was, Louis spun around and slammed Harry against the wall, kissing him deeply before grabbing his shirt and pulling him into his bedroom.   
He slammed the door behind them, locked it and advanced on Harry.  
He gripped his neck and pressed his lips to Harry's, hard.  
Harry wrapped his arms around his waist and lifted him, carrying him over to the bed where they immediately started ripping each other's clothes off.   
Harry threw his shirt across the room and Louis did the same before reattaching their lips.  
Harry moved so he was hovering over Louis' body. He ground down onto his crotch making Louis moan and buck his hips up.  
"Please," he whimpered and Harry knew exactly what he meant.  
He moved his hands down to the waistband of his pants and took them, along with his boxers off in one quick movement. Then he removed his own before climbing back on top of him.  
Harry began kissing down Louis' torso all the way down to his dick, leaving Louis a moaning mess.  
Then, all of a sudden, Harry took Louis' dick in his mouth and started bobbing up and down.  
He licked a stripe from the base all the way up to the tip before putting the entire thing in the back of his throat.  
"Fuck," Louis groaned and he grabbed a fistful of Harry's hair and moved his head up and down.  
He bucked his hips up, but Harry held them down.  
"I-I'm close," Louis warned him, so Harry sucked slowly up his cock one last time before sitting back and looking up and Louis.  
Louis then leaned up and connected their lips in a flurry of tongue and lip.  
Harry slowly leant forward so they were laying down again while he stroked his own erect cock.  
Louis then reached forward and started stroking it himself while he wrapped his legs around Harry's waist.   
"Mmm. Shit." Harry moaned as Louis expertly rubbed up against him before he moved down so his face was level with Louis' ass.  
Louis gasped as Harry put his finger into his ass and started kissing all around his thighs while moving his finger in and out.   
Louis gripped the bedsheets and squeezed his eyes closed in euphoria.  
Soon, Louis was spluttering and moaning for more so Harry added another and another finger all while swiping is tongue around the hole.  
Once Louis was comfortable again, he opened his drawer and pulled out the lube and a condom and threw them at Harry.  
He took them and rolled on the condom before he lathered his dick up and leant forward.  
He put his lips close to Louis' ear and whispered with a hot breath.  
"You're so hot, Louis."  
"Just fuck me, Harry." Louis replied as Harry laughed and leant back, lining himself up to Louis' ready and waiting ass.  
Slowly, he pushed in, making Louis hiss but still rock down onto Harry's cock.  
Harry gripped Louis' hips as he began to move faster, watching the precum leak out of Louis' dick.  
"Uh. You're. Uh. So. Uh. Amazing." Louis managed to get out as Harry moved inside of him.  
Harry leaned down to give him a long kiss as his answer as he reached down and started stroking Louis' cock.  
They both screamed each other's names as they came at the same time, Harry in the condom and Louis all over their chests.  
Harry slowed down, stroking Louis through his high before pulling out and landing next to Louis on the bed.  
They stayed like that while they caught their breaths, before Harry sat up and moved off the bed.  
"Where are you going?" Louis asked, leaning up on his elbows as he watched with wide eyes.  
Harry peeled off the condom, tied it off and threw it in he bin.  
He turned around, smiled at Louis and reached down to pick up his t shirt before climbing back onto the bed.  
"Just to get this, don't worry." Harry reassured him, leaning down to kiss him again.  
When he pulled back, he wiped off their chests and threw the shirt back on the floor.  
"Are you gonna stay?" Louis asked, still groggy from the alcohol and from Harry.  
"Yeah," Harry whispered as he pulled the covers over them and pulled Louis to his chest.  
He kissed his hair and stroked his cheek as he fell into a deep sleep.  
"I'll stay." He said into the darkness just before he fell asleep too, Louis clutched to his chest.  
He didn't know what he was doing or why he was doing it.  
He wasn't going to stay, he never planned on it, but in that moment, it felt right.  
He wanted to stay, so he did.  
"Goodnight, Lou." Harry breathed before kissing his head one more time, but Louis was already asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

"Harry, what are you doing?" Liam called out after Harry.  
He turned around. "I'm going to talk to Louis."   
"Harry, I don't think that's a good idea." Liam commented as Zayn walked over to the two guys.  
"And why not? I'm supposed to be nice, right? I just want to talk to him." Harry retorted with a sneer.  
"Harry, please just don't talk to him while we're here. We don't want to make a scene tonight." Liam warned, making Harry scoff.  
"I won't make a scene, I just want to talk." Harry said.  
"Just let him go," Zayn piped up, speaking to Liam. "Besides, it's kinda funny watching Louis get all rilled up."  
Liam rolled his eyes and took a deep breath. "Fine. Do what you like, Harry. But if you piss him off and Niall finds out, you'll be in deep shit." he warned.  
Harry sighed. "don't worry, Li. I'll be nice, just like Ni wants."  
"You'd better." Liam whispered under his breath.  
"C'mon. I need a drink, then we'll come back to watch the show." Zayn winked at Harry and pulled Liam away.  
"I won't make a show." Harry laughed at his friend before turning around to find Louis.  
.  
Louis quite liked the girls he was talking to. They were tall and blonde and definitely fuckworthy. Maybe they would help get his mind of the curly haired devil that constantly invaded his thoughts.  
"So you live here?" one of them asked.  
"Yeah," he replied half heatedly. He wanted a distraction, but he just wasn't really in the mood.  
Not after he'd just seen Harry.  
"That's really cool." the other one commented, resting her hand on his upper arm.  
He smirked and wrapped the arm around her waist, pulling her close.   
Yes, she would do quite nicely.   
"Louis," a deep, scratchy voice echoed behind him.  
He turned around to see none other than Harry standing there, grinning like a drunken idiot.  
Great, he thought. Just great.  
"Hi Harry." the girls chirped, immediately leaning away from Louis and towards the other lad, making Louis' blood boil.  
Why did everyone like him so much better? What was it Harry had that he didn't?  
"Hello girls," Harry chuckled. "How are we this evening?"  
Louis scowled. Harry only said shit like that when he was trying to pull. He became all fancy and overly polite to try and win their hearts before bedding them and leaving before the sun rose the following morning.   
"Great, now that you're here." one of the girls replied, kissing his cheek.  
"Louis," he repeated. "how are you tonight?" he smriked.  
"Fine." he replied.  
"Well that's fantastic, we wouldn't want out gracious host having a less than great time, would we girls?" Harry continued, a hint of sarcasm in his tone.  
"Of course not!" The girls chorused, staring lovingly at Harry while he just watched Louis.  
"Well, I should go-" Louis began but was interrupted.  
"No!" Harry insisted. "stay, have a chat with us."  
As he spoke, he fell back into the now vacated couch and both the girls tucked themselves under his arms as he propped his feet up on the coffee table.  
"Can you not do that?" Louis asked, trying to move Harry's feet.  
"Oh, sorry." Harry replies, a sweet smile on his face that made Louis simultaneously want to kiss and smack him.  
"But seriously, stay and talk. You know I love talking to you." Harry continued as the girls started kissing his face.  
Louis didn't say anything. He sculled the remainder of his drink, ground his teeth together and turned away, leaving Harry with his hook ups and him with a pain in his heart. He didn't know why he let it get to him. He shouldn't be feeling like that. He thought he needed to get over his stupid crush and being around him wasn't helping, so he left.  
He pushed his way through the crowd towards the front door, only to be stopped a few steps short by Niall.  
"Hey, what's up?" The blonde asked, clearly seeing how upset Louis was.  
"Nothing, I just need some air." Louis replied with a small smile.   
Even though he wanted more than anything to tell Niall about Harry's behaviour, he knew it would damage their relationship, so he kept quiet.  
Louis pushed open the front door of the frat house to see people all over their front lawn and red cups littered everywhere.  
He sighed and pushed past the people until he reached the side of the house. They had a small courtyard with a nice stone seat and the most appealing thing about it, it was empty.  
He sat on the bench and put his head in his hands. he took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes. When he opened them and looked up, he was met with the one sight he didn't want to see.  
Harry.  
"Hey, are you okay?" he asked.  
"Leave me alone, Harry. I'm not in the mood right now." Louis replied, looking down at the pavers.  
"Are you crying?" Harry asked and Louis couldn't tell whether or not he was being sincere or mocking him, so he kept his eyes down and didn't reply.  
Harry moved so he could sit beside him but Louis scooted away to the edge of the bench.  
"Hey, don't be like that." Harry said, moving closer to him so their legs were almost touching.  
"Please, just leave." Louis begged, still not looking up.  
He wasn't crying, but he was close to it and if Harry didn't leave soon, he might have burst.  
"Talk to me." Harry asked.  
"No."  
"Please?"   
"Why?" Louis asked, finally looking up at him.  
"Cause I wanna talk to you." Harry replied with a smile.   
Louis looked at him for a minute, trying to decide whether or not to let him in. He wanted to, but Harry's always been mean to him and played with him, so he wasn't sure.   
"Just fucking leave me be." He said finally, looking down at the ground.  
"Lou," Harry said softly. "I can help."   
Louis looked up at him, eyes wide and a little cloudy from the alcohol.  
"You called me Lou" he said, astounded. "You've always called me Louis, but you just said Lou."  
Maybe he had had a little to much to drink.  
Harry smiled and let out a light, awkward laugh. "Yeah, I guess I did. I don't have to, if you don't like it-"   
"No." Louis interrupted. "I like it."  
Harry smiled and scratched the back of his neck while Louis grinned at him.   
"Can I ask you something?" Louis said, breaking the silence.  
"Sure," Harry replied.  
Louis took a deep breath and looked down, preparing himself for the answer.  
"Why are you so mean all the time?" Louis blurted out when he finally looked up. He swayed a little from moving his head too fast and Harry reached out to steady him.  
"Woah." Louis said, blinking a few times and holding his head.  
"Hey, maybe we should go back inside." Harry commented, avoiding Louis' question and making him even more angry.  
Drunk people are subject to quick mood swings if something triggers them and Harry had just found that out.  
"You can but I'm not." Louis stated sassily.  
"Lou-"   
"I changed my mind." He interrupted. "Don't call me that."  
"Okay," Harry said slowly, suddenly wary of the ticking time bomb he was sitting beside.  
It was only a matter of time before Louis completely cracked it at him and he was hoping to avoid it at all costs.  
"We can stay." He continued. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay."  
"Well I am so you can leave." Louis snapped.  
"Do you really want me to?" Harry asked, putting his hand on Louis' thigh.  
He felt him flinch beneath his hand, but he didn't make any move to make him move it away, so he kept it there.  
Louis was still staring at the ground while Harry watched his eyes.  
Slowly, Louis looked up into Harry's eyes and met him in a meaningful gaze.  
It was silent, neither of them spoke and neither of them could hear anything around them. It was just the two of them, together, in that moment.  
Louis gulped but still didn't answer Harry's question. He was still wary about Harry's intentions for being outside with him, but he couldn't think straight. In the state he was in, there was no good judgement.  
Ever so slowly, he leaned closer and closer towards Harry's lips.  
Harry's eyes fluttered closed and he waited for Louis to meet him. He felt his hot breath on his mouth.  
Louis closed his eyes too and reached up to cup Harry's face.   
"Whey hey! Go Harry!" Zayn's loud voice snapped them both back to reality.  
Louis instantly moved away and looked between the two other boys who had found them.  
"You owe me $50 Payne." Zayn continued, stumbling around and spilling his drink everywhere.  
Liam huffed and fumbled around for his pocket while spilling half his own drink to find some cash for his friend.  
They were both incredibly drunk, but the only thing Louis could comprehend was what he had said.  
You owe me $50 Payne.  
"What?" Louis spluttered, looking to Harry.  
He was sitting there shocked looking between his friends and Louis.  
"I-I don't know what they're talking about." He told Louis, reaching for his hands but he pulled away viciously.  
"Get away from me." Louis hissed.  
"Lou-"  
"DONT CALL ME THAT." he shouted, making Harry immediately stop.  
He got up and walked over to his friends.  
"What the fuck are you doing?" He asked them.  
"Nothing." Liam slurred, leaning against the wall for support.  
"Bull-fucking-shit." Harry spat.  
"Really, it's nothing you should be concerned about." Zayn said before he bent over and threw up all over the wall and Liam's hand.   
"Fuck you." He said before turning back to Louis who was sitting on the bench having watched the whole exchange.   
"Louis," Harry sat down next to him as his friends scampered off. "I'm so sorry. I really don't know what that was."  
Louis watched him with a hurt expression.  
"Louis," Harry repeated. "Please."   
He moved closer so their legs were touching again and Louis didn't move away.  
He thought about it, and came to the conclusion that he thought Harry was being sincere.   
He smiled and nodded before looking sheepishly down to the ground.  
Harry beamed and put his hand back on his leg. "So can we talk now?"  
Louis looked up at him and nodded, biting his bottom lip and he started and Harry's.  
"Okay, so what's bothering you?" Harry asked.  
Louis looked around, he wasn't entirely sure what he was looking for but soon enough, his eyes found Harry again.   
He smiled and looked at his lips again. Harry smiled back and moved closer, but slowly so Louis wouldn't notice.  
He opened his lips partially while he waited for Louis to speak.  
Louis watched him for a minute before bringing his hands back up to Harry's face. He cupped his cheeks and moved slowly forward.   
When their lips met, Louis' whole body weakened. He leant forward into Harry's chest, partially because he couldn't hold himself up anymore and partially to deepen the kiss.  
Harry's tongue swiped over Louis' bottom lip and he immediately opened his mouth, letting him in.  
Louis sighed against Harry's mouth and moved his hands to Harry's hair, eliciting a moan from him.  
Harry grabbed Louis' waist and picked him up, moving him into his lap so Louis was straddling him.  
Louis made a noise in pleasure and ground down onto him.   
"Fuck." Harry moaned against Louis' mouth as he pulled his hair.  
Harry pulled back from the kiss, his semi hard on becoming more and more apparent with each passing moment.  
"W-We should move this somewhere more private." Harry breathed and Louis nodded in agreement, his head spinning from and overdose on alcohol and Harry.  
He took Harry's hand and got up, leading them back inside the house and up the stairs to his bedroom, Harry smirking the whole way to the people watching.   
Once they made it to the hallway where Louis room was, Louis spun around and slammed Harry against the wall, kissing him deeply before grabbing his shirt and pulling him into his bedroom.   
He slammed the door behind them, locked it and advanced on Harry.  
He gripped his neck and pressed his lips to Harry's, hard.  
Harry wrapped his arms around his waist and lifted him, carrying him over to the bed where they immediately started ripping each other's clothes off.   
Harry threw his shirt across the room and Louis did the same before reattaching their lips.  
Harry moved so he was hovering over Louis' body. He ground down onto his crotch making Louis moan and buck his hips up.  
"Please," he whimpered and Harry knew exactly what he meant.  
He moved his hands down to the waistband of his pants and took them, along with his boxers off in one quick movement. Then he removed his own before climbing back on top of him.  
Harry began kissing down Louis' torso all the way down to his dick, leaving Louis a moaning mess.  
Then, all of a sudden, Harry took Louis' dick in his mouth and started bobbing up and down.  
He licked a stripe from the base all the way up to the tip before putting the entire thing in the back of his throat.  
"Fuck," Louis groaned and he grabbed a fistful of Harry's hair and moved his head up and down.  
He bucked his hips up, but Harry held them down.  
"I-I'm close," Louis warned him, so Harry sucked slowly up his cock one last time before sitting back and looking up and Louis.  
Louis then leaned up and connected their lips in a flurry of tongue and lip.  
Harry slowly leant forward so they were laying down again while he stroked his own erect cock.  
Louis then reached forward and started stroking it himself while he wrapped his legs around Harry's waist.   
"Mmm. Shit." Harry moaned as Louis expertly rubbed up against him before he moved down so his face was level with Louis' ass.  
Louis gasped as Harry put his finger into his ass and started kissing all around his thighs while moving his finger in and out.   
Louis gripped the bedsheets and squeezed his eyes closed in euphoria.  
Soon, Louis was spluttering and moaning for more so Harry added another and another finger all while swiping is tongue around the hole.  
Once Louis was comfortable again, he opened his drawer and pulled out the lube and a condom and threw them at Harry.  
He took them and rolled on the condom before he lathered his dick up and leant forward.  
He put his lips close to Louis' ear and whispered with a hot breath.  
"You're so hot, Louis."  
"Just fuck me, Harry." Louis replied as Harry laughed and leant back, lining himself up to Louis' ready and waiting ass.  
Slowly, he pushed in, making Louis hiss but still rock down onto Harry's cock.  
Harry gripped Louis' hips as he began to move faster, watching the precum leak out of Louis' dick.  
"Uh. You're. Uh. So. Uh. Amazing." Louis managed to get out as Harry moved inside of him.  
Harry leaned down to give him a long kiss as his answer as he reached down and started stroking Louis' cock.  
They both screamed each other's names as they came at the same time, Harry in the condom and Louis all over their chests.  
Harry slowed down, stroking Louis through his high before pulling out and landing next to Louis on the bed.  
They stayed like that while they caught their breaths, before Harry sat up and moved off the bed.  
"Where are you going?" Louis asked, leaning up on his elbows as he watched with wide eyes.  
Harry peeled off the condom, tied it off and threw it in he bin.  
He turned around, smiled at Louis and reached down to pick up his t shirt before climbing back onto the bed.  
"Just to get this, don't worry." Harry reassured him, leaning down to kiss him again.  
When he pulled back, he wiped off their chests and threw the shirt back on the floor.  
"Are you gonna stay?" Louis asked, still groggy from the alcohol and from Harry.  
"Yeah," Harry whispered as he pulled the covers over them and pulled Louis to his chest.  
He kissed his hair and stroked his cheek as he fell into a deep sleep.  
"I'll stay." He said into the darkness just before he fell asleep too, Louis clutched to his chest.  
He didn't know what he was doing or why he was doing it.  
He wasn't going to stay, he never planned on it, but in that moment, it felt right.  
He wanted to stay, so he did.  
"Goodnight, Lou." Harry breathed before kissing his head one more time, but Louis was already asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

The following morning, Louis woke up to the sounds birds chirping as the sun shone through the window, lighting up his bedroom.  
He hummed in content and smiled to himself as he was awoken by the beautiful morning. Rubbing his eyes, he rolled over onto his back, stretching his arms out.  
Then, he froze.   
Something was missing.  
He flattened his arms out on the bed and felt around, finding it unoccupied by anyone other than himself.  
He frowned.  
He thought Harry and stayed with him last night. He opened his eyes fully and looked around.  
There were no clothes on the ground.  
He sat up and felt a jolt of pain in his bum. Oh yes, Harry was definitely there last night.  
But he was gone.  
No. He couldn’t be. He wouldn’t do that.  
He kicked around in his covers, checking to see if somehow, Harry was there, but he wasn’t.  
Maybe he was just in the bathroom.  
Louis got up, and upon realising he was naked, he quickly grabbed some boxers to put on.  
Once he was covered, he walked over to his bin. Sure enough, there was a used condom and a wrapper in it.  
But there was no other evidence that Harry had even come up to his room at all last night during that party.  
He opened his bathroom door, checking for the curly haired man but it hadn’t been used.  
He pulled his hair and let out a strangled cry, not very loud but it summed up his feelings.  
Louis grabbed his phone off the bedside table and fumbled around, desperately trying to find a message or missed call.  
Nothing.  
Then, he scoured every flat surface in the room, hoping against all odds that he had left a note.  
Nothing.  
Nothing except a used condom and his empty heart signalled that Harry had been there.  
He moved back to the bed and sat down, trying to hold back tears.  
Louis ground his teeth together.  
He had been used.  
Fucking Harry Styles had used him. Like he had so many others before him.  
He supposed that was to be expected.   
It was the normal thing for Harry to do. He always had sex then left.  
Louis wasn’t an exception.  
But somehow, he had gotten it in his head that he was.  
He didn’t think Harry would do that to him.  
Because Louis loved him.  
But then again, didn’t everyone? Harry had the entire campus wrapped around his finger.  
Louis swore in frustration and resisted the urge to throw his phone across the room.  
Splat.  
Louis’ head snapped around towards the sound.  
He swore again when he saw what the sound was.  
There was a huge, raw egg splattered onto his bedroom window, covering it almost entirely.  
He got up, stomped over to his window, yanked it open angrily and stuck his head out.  
“Oi!” he called. “Who the fuc-”  
He was cut off by another egg, this time completely covering his face, before he could get a good look at who was down there.  
He let out a frustrated yell and pulled his head back inside before closing the window.  
He went into the bathroom and wiped his face clean, using a towel that he soon threw at the wall angrily.  
He stormed out of his room, down the stairs and outside onto his front porch.  
“Hey man,” Niall quickly came out after him. “What’s the matter?”  
Louis just growled. “Where are they? Where the fuck are they?”  
“Who?” Niall asked, concerned. “What are you talking about?”  
Louis didn’t answer, he just jumped down the stairs and across the front lawn to the pavement.  
Once he was there, he turned around to look at his house. Or, the damage done to his house.  
Niall obliviously followed him, desperately trying to figure out what he was doing since he wasn’t talking.  
“Fuck!” Louis exclaimed, looking up. “That, Niall. I’m talking about that.”  
He pulled at his hair as Niall’s mouth dropped.  
The front of the frat house had been egged. Most of the windows were covered in the stuff and the bushes were wet, presumably from piss.  
“What the hell?” Niall shouted, looking at Louis.  
“I don’t fucking know!” Louis shouted back.   
He was about to continue, but he heard something. Sniggering. Muffled laughs.  
It was coming from the back of the house.  
Louis’ eyes narrowed. They were still there.  
He stormed around the side of the house, past the courtyard, trying to catch the perpetrators if they tried to get away. Once he got around to the back of the place, he froze.  
In their back garden, they had a nice deck with nice furniture and a very nice swimming pool.  
On the deck, their backs all towards him, Louis saw them.  
They hadn’t seen him yet as they were all staring at the floor of the deck, huddled together and laughing, but Louis recognized them.  
Niall came up beside him, jogging, and immediately saw what he saw.  
Harry.  
Or more precisely, Harry and his frat.  
There were 6 of them, including Harry and Louis recognised them all. It was the very same group that Harry always used in all of his pranks.  
Niall’s face fell and his surprised expression turned straight to anger.  
Then, they saw the damage they had caused out the back. They had spray painted all the ground floor windows with their frat name.  
They had filled their pool with dye of some sort, turning the water a bright pink.  
And they were working on something on the deck, but he couldn’t see what.  
“Go get the guys.” Louis told Niall, hoping that the rest of his frat would team up with him and corner the others.  
Niall nodded quickly and hurried off, back around the front of the house to gather their army.  
Louis cleared his throat loudly, making the gang turn around to face him.   
“Hi,” Louis smiled at them and strode towards them, his hands deep in his pockets. “What are we up to, boys? Just visiting, I suppose?”  
As he spoke, his sickly sweet smile dropped to reveal his scowl.  
“Louis,” Harry replied smugly. “Hello there, how are you this morning?”  
“Fuck off,” Louis retorted, rolling his eyes. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”  
Harry’s friends, Liam and Zayn both sniggered, making Louis shoot them a glare.  
“Oh, just some decorating.” Harry grinned. “Thought we would spice the place up a little.”  
“That’s okay,” Louis replied. “Your services aren’t needed here.”  
“Well, we already finished, so I guess you can just enjoy it anyway.” Harry told him.  
“Fuck you.” Louis spat, walking up onto the deck where they were standing so that he was right in front of them. “Clean it up, now.”  
“How about, no.” Harry replied. “Besides, I’m pretty sure you owe me.”  
“What?” Louis asked, incredulous as to what he could possible owe him.  
“Yeah,” Harry stepped up to him and leant down so he could whisper in his hear. “After last night, you definitely owe me.”  
Louis clenched his teeth and remained frozen while Harry leaned back and laughed. His mates all joined in, letting Louis know that he had told them all. And no doubt ridiculed him for it too.  
“You’re fucking sick, you know that?” Louis spat. “This thing you do to people. It’s fucked.”  
“Whatever,” Harry scoffed, turning back around so the ground was again huddled around a spot on the deck.  
“What are you doing?” Louis asked, still very pissed off.  
He heard a can shake and some spraying. “You’d better not be fucking spray painting.” Louis warned, but of course, they didn’t listen, or even acknowledge him.  
“Fucking-” Louis didn’t even let himself finish before throwing himself onto Harry’s back. He jumped up and tackled him to the ground.  
Harry fell and rolled over so that Louis was straddling him. Louis tried to punch him but Harry grabbed both his fists and pulled him close.  
“You would like to ride me like this.” He taunted before rolling them both over so that he was now straddling the smaller boy. “Now, does this bring back any memories?” He smirked.  
Louis screamed in frustration as Harry laughed and he tried to claw his neck, but he was too tall to reach.  
He kicked his legs and then managed to get Harry off him, before again trying to punch him from above him.  
But, nothing could ever go his way. Harry always had to get the last laugh.  
Harry’s mates grabbed Louis and held him away as he struggled.   
“Fuck you, Styles.” Louis shouted as Harry stood up, still smiling.  
“Tsk tsk, suck foul language.” Harry shook his head. “Now, I want you to see something. And I want you to be the first to see.”  
The two guys holding Louis continued to hold him back, they just moved him so that he could see what Harry wanted him to see.  
“Voila,” Harry held his hands out and took a dramatic bow as he indicated to the deck.  
Louis looked next to him and saw what he was obviously supposed to see.  
Harry had created a huge ‘Louis Tomlinson <3’s DICK’ in the centre of the deck, complete with his signature and frat name across the bottom.  
“Real mature,” Louis said through gritted teeth.   
“That’s not what you said last night” Harry retorted. “In fact, I think it was something more along the lines off, ‘Just fuck me, Harry’.”   
Then, all 6 of them started making sex noises around him, taunting him and making him feel terrible. He fought back tears as he tried to ignore it but it was too much.  
"Uh. You're. Uh. So. Uh. Amazing." Harry panted as he thrusted his hips over and over into the air, replicating what he had done the previous night as Louis tried to tear his eyes away.  
“AAAAAHHHH”   
All of a sudden, the back door burst open onto the deck and Niall and the rest of this frat came out with a battle cry, surrounding Harry and his mates.  
They probably would have put up a fight if they weren’t in fits of hysterics. Harry was clutching his stomach and trying not to fall over, his face bright red as he tried to breathe.  
Immediately, Louis was let go and it took everything in him not to beat the shit out of the bastard.  
“What the fuck are you doing?” Niall screamed over everyone, making them shut up.  
There were other words exchanged but Louis wasn’t really paying attention.  
He only came back to earth when some of his friends started pushing around some of Harry’s friends and it became a little physical.  
Louis blinked.  
The laughing had stopped and they all looked dead serious. Some of Louis’ friends threw a few punches before Liam was calling all of his men to leave in case campus police showed up.  
They all started running down the side of the house and out the front so they could escape, but Louis’ frat followed them out, past the courtyard.  
Louis, leading his crew, chased after them. “Harry!” He shouted, alerting the curly haired lad and making him slow down until he stopped.  
Louis hung back too, letting everyone pass him until they were alone. He looked around, they were in the courtyard.  
Perfect, Louis thought. How ironic.  
“What do you want, Lewis?” Harry taunted.  
Louis was slightly taken aback. So it was back to Lewis, he thought.  
“You’re an asshole.” He told him.  
Harry scoffed. “Tell me something I don’t know.”  
“You’re a fucking prick and I hate you.” Louis continued. Harry’s expression didn’t alter.  
“Yes.” Harry replied. “That’s nice.”  
“You do this thing. Every time. I thought that maybe, just maybe, it was going to be different this time, but no, you just had to go and do the same thing you always do and-”  
“What’s your point?” Harry interrupted. “I don’t understand why we’re having this conversation.”  
“What the fuck?” Louis exclaimed, incredulous.  
“I don’t get it. Why are you telling me all this? I already know.” Harry continued, speaking to Louis like a child.  
“I thought you would be different.” Louis confessed.  
“Why?” Harry continued. “Why would I be any different?”  
Louis blinked back tears, willing his voice not to break.  
“Did you care? Like at all?” he asked.  
“Nope.” Harry replied with a smile.  
Louis nodded to himself, looked up as he blinked away more tears and looked back at Harry before stepping closer.  
“Get the fuck outta here.” Louis spat in his face.  
Harry rolled his eyes, still smirking, as he turned and casually strolled across the front lawn and down the street.  
“I fucking hate you!” Louis screamed after him.  
Harry just turned and waved. “Sure you do. Have a nice day, Lewis.” He called back, leaving Louis alone, pissed off and ready to beat the shit out of Harry Styles the next time he saw him.


	8. Chapter 8

Harry and his friends arrived back at their house completely out of breath, partially because they had run but partially because they couldn't stop laughing.  
Louis' discomfort provided them with great joy.  
"Oh my god that was priceless!" Zayn exclaimed as the entered the house.  
Everyone dispersed, leaving him with Liam, Harry and Ed in the lounge room.  
They collapsed onto the couches and tried to catch their breaths as Liam got up to get them all a bottle of water.  
"That was so fucking funny!" Ed added.  
Liam threw them each a bottle and sat down beside Zayn.  
"God, Louis' reaction when he thought you'd told us... Just perfect!" Ed continued.  
"You know," Liam interrupted. "You didn't really tell us what happened. We asked and you just shrugged your shoulders while you gathered everyone for the latest instalment of this feud."  
"So many big words." Harry gaped as he looked at him.  
"He's right," Zayn added. "I mean, from what we gathered, you at least hooked up, but please, do tell us what actually happened."  
"Why is everyone so curious? I do this literally every weekend, but now you all ask for details about my sexual endeavours." Harry complained, leaning back into the couch before talking a sip of water.  
"Explain, dumbass." Zayn interrupted, flicking Harry in the head.  
"Well, after you left us to talk, he got pissy, as per usual, and went outside. I followed him and we talked. Then after you two drunken fools finally left us alone, I fucked him. Hard." Harry explained, like it was no big deal.  
"Nice," Ed hi fived him.  
"That was all?" Liam asked.  
"That was all." Harry confirmed.  
"Wait," Zayn said. "You had to have done something wrong. He was really mad. What the fuck did you do?"  
"What I always do." Harry shrugged.  
"Harry!" Liam chastised, smacking his leg.  
"Ow! What?"  
"Ni's gonna kill you." Zayn informed him.  
"You didn't actually just up and leave before he woke up, did you?" Liam continued, hoping it wasn't true.  
Harry shrugged again, trying to play it off, but what his friends didn't know was that he was hurting inside.  
For the first time in his life, he felt guilty. He felt bad for what he had done.  
Harry was a player, that's what he did. It was perfectly normal for him to do this to people.  
So he didn't know why it was affecting him the way it was.  
"Was he at least a good fuck?" Ed asked.  
And Harry didn't have a definitive answer. He wanted to say yes, but it sounded wrong.  
Louis wasn't just a fuck, there had to have been some kind of feeling, some emotion because Harry thought it was incredible.  
Probably the best he'd ever had, and he'd had a lot.  
"Uh, yeah, I guess." Harry replied, still trying to play nonchalant.  
"I can't believe you did that." Liam continued.  
"You know what," Harry snapped at him. "If you're gonna keep going on about it, you may as well fuck off, cause I'm not in the mood to hear you whine about it."  
Liam looked at him in shock before standing up and leaving the room.  
"I'm going to call Dani." He announced as he passed through the door and went upstairs.  
"Jesus, you right mate?" Zayn asked.  
"Fine thanks." Harry replied.  
"He must've been a pretty shit fuck if you're this cranky." Ed commented.  
"Oh fuck off. He was great, leave it alone." Harry replied and mentally slapped himself.  
Why was he defending Louis all of a sudden?  
"Cool it." Ed put his hands up in surrender.  
"Since Liam isn't here to bust your balls, do you want to talk about what happened?" Zayn asked in a quieter voice.  
"Fuck no!" Harry exclaimed "I'm a man. I don't talk about feelings and shit."  
"So there are feelings?" Zayn smirked having caught him out. "You know, that's okay. You're allowed to-"  
"What the fuck are you talking about? There's no- There aren't any f- No. I don't like him." Harry stuttered.  
"What the actual fuck." Ed interrupted, speaking slowly as he looked at Harry, almost in disgust.  
"Okay. So maybe there aren't any feelings." Zayn quickly covered up, realising what he just began.  
Ed was very much like Harry. They had almost the same views on everything and they did the same thing with their hook ups.  
Except Ed didn't believe in feelings. In fact, he really didn't like them. He didn't like couples either. In his eyes, people were supposed to fuck, and that was all.  
There were to be no feelings.  
And Zayn's observations about Harry's developing them made him upset.  
"Never mind that." Zayn continued, trying to get both their minds off the fight between them that was surely to come. "How was the party here last night? It looks pretty clean."  
"You have feelings?" Ed pressed on, blatantly ignoring Zayn's question.  
"No." Harry denied, nervously looked to Zayn for help.  
If Ed found out that Harry was developing feelings for Louis, they would fight.  
Ed would stop talking to him and they would fall out of friendship.  
It wouldn't be pretty.  
"Ed, I was wrong. It was a joke anyway, just drop it, yeah?" Zayn asked.  
Ed just looked at Harry, muttered a fine and got up to leave.  
"I'm gonna meet up with Taylor. I'll see you later." He said over his shoulder before they heard the front door shut.  
"Harry, it's okay to talk about it-" Zayn tried but Harry snapped.  
"Why'd you go and do that?" He barked.  
"I'm sorry, but it's okay-" Zayn kept going.  
"It's not okay! He's going to hate me!" Harry replied, standing up and throwing his hands in the air.  
"He won't hate you." Zayn reassured him. "He just needs time to adjust."  
"Adjust." Harry scoffed, looking down at him. "He's gonna need a shit ton of fucking time. You know what he's like with this kind of shit."  
"Look, I'm sorry, but this isn't the important thing here. Who gives a fuck what he thinks, you are allowed to feel what you wanna feel." Zayn explained, finally making Harry shut up.  
He sat down and put his head in his hands. After a moment, he ran his hands through his curls and looked up at Zayn.  
"Yeah?" He asked, needing the assurance.  
"Yes." Zayn confirmed, putting a hand on his shoulder.  
Harry cracked a smile. "This is why you're my favourite."  
Zayn laughed and patted his back before leaning back with a grin. "So, you like him?"  
Harry smacked his hand away. "Whatever," he tried to play it off.  
"You so do." Zayn replied with a smug look. "That's so cute!"  
"Do not ever fucking call me cute." Harry threatened. "I'm not cute."  
"Hey hey." Zayn held his hands up in surrender. "Joking."  
"Good." Harry said before leaning back into the couch.  
"But seriously mate, do you want to talk about it? I can listen if you need to vent."  
He let out a breath nervously and looked at Zayn, almost pleadingly.  
"If I tell you, do you promise to never tell anyone?" Harry asked.  
"Of course, that's what best friends are for." Zayn replied, shuffling closer as he looked at his friend with worry.  
"Okay," Harry breathed and hesitated, but eventually spoke.  
"I'm scared and I don't know what to do." He admitted and looked away in shame.  
"Hey, that's okay." Zayn assured him. "You're allowed to be scared."  
"No," Harry insisted. "It's stupid and I don't know why I'm feeling like this."  
"Like what?"  
"This bad. I feel like shit for what I've done to him." Harry shyly spoke.  
"Why don't you just talk to him and apologise?" Zayn offered.  
"I can't. He won't even look at me again and you know what, it hurts." Harry continued.  
"What hurts?"  
"My chest. There's this weird pain surrounding my heart and I just feel terrible and I'm so scared. This has never happened before." Harry went on.  
Zayn and Harry had been best friends for years and it was only in front of him, that Harry allowed himself to open up.  
"That's because you have feelings for him." Zayn stated. "You like him."  
"Yes Zayn, I like him. Is that what you wanted? Me to admit it?" Harry snapped.  
"Mate, it's okay. You're allowed to like him." Zayn told him.  
"No, it's not that. That's not why I'm so... like this." Harry replied, referring to his being upset.  
"Is it because you feel guilty? Cause that's okay. Just talk to him." Zayn answered.  
"After what I did to him last night, and then the prank this morning... I wouldn't be surprised if he never wants to even see me again." Harry sighed, putting his head in his hands.  
"No, anyone can see that he likes you too. It's plain as day." Zayn said.  
"Really?" Harry asked as he looked up, allowing a little bit of hope to enter his mind.  
"Um, yes." Zayn replied. "Trust me, he'll talk to you."  
"You sure? Ugh! Why is this all so hard! I don't know what to do!" Harry exclaimed.  
"Did you actually not think that he likes you too? Is that why you're so scared and nervous?" Zayn asked.  
"Well... Yeah," Harry admitted in a small voice.  
"Harry, I can safely say that you don't need to be scared about that. He likes you too." Zayn reassured him, allowing Harry to let out a long breath.  
"Now I feel really bad. He's liked me all this time and I've treated him like absolute shit." Harry realised. "I've been a dick, haven't i? Oh my god, after this morning, he's going to hate me. I'm a horrible human being."  
"Harry, it's okay. You're allowed to feel this way. It's normal. Everyone regrets something."  
"Then why does it feel so shit?"  
"It just does."  
Harry sighed and ran his hand through his hair again.  
"You should talk to him." Zayn broke the silence. "Or at least try. But you need to tell him how you feel. Tell him you're sorry."  
"I am sorry," Harry whispered under his breath. "So fucking sorry."  
"It'll be okay." Zayn told him.  
"I like him. I really do." Harry admitted.  
"You do?" Zayn asked. "Like properly?"  
"Yes Zayn." Harry huffed. "Like properly. I really, really like him. You don't have to look so surprised."  
"I'm sorry." Zayn smiled. "But this is like, a new you. I like it."  
Harry smacked the back of his head jokingly as they laughed.  
"You know what," Harry said as they stopped. "I like it too."  
"Just out of curiosity, if you like him so much, why'd you orchestrate the prank this morning?" Zayn asked, making him sigh.  
"I don't know," Harry admitted. "I guess I just needed to do something to see him, make sure he was alright after I left him, and I guess prancing was the only way I could do that."  
"You could've just stayed." Zayn told him. "You didn't have to leave him at all."  
"Yes I did." Harry defended. "He was very drunk and I thought he would wake up, see me there and immediately regret it."  
"He wouldn't have." Zayn told him.  
"Well I know that now." Harry retorted. "But until 5 minutes ago, I only joked about him liking me. I never thought it was true."  
"How could you not have known!" Zayn laughed. "It's so damn obvious."  
"Not to me it wasn't." Harry laughed along with him. "By the way, you repeat any of this and I'll cut your dick off, got it?"  
Zayn just laughed him off after promising he wouldn't tell a soul.  
They both sat on the couch, laughing and talking about Harry and Louis until Liam came back down to join them.  
He was a little wary as he sat down beside Zayn.  
"Hey," he said.  
"Hi." Harry replied with a smile. "Don't worry, I won't bite."  
Liam laughed nervously, making both Harry and Zayn look at him.  
"No seriously, I'm okay now." Harry said, and Liam let out a sigh.  
"Oh thank god. I thought you were actually going to hurt me." He admitted with a laugh.  
Harry was about to reply when he heard something.   
He tilted his head to the side and strained to listen.  
It was like someone scuffling around outside, some giggling and some muffled swearing.  
Liam and Zayn both caught on and started trying to hear as well.  
Then they slowly got up and each moved to different windows.  
They stealthily peered out and saw nothing.  
"Dude. I don't think there's anything there." Liam said as he moved back to the couch.  
"Yeah, I can't see anything and the sounds stopped." Zayn continued, doing the same as Liam.  
"No." Harry shook his head and moved towards the kitchen to look out the back door.  
As he came back into the lounge, there was a thump on the roof.  
Harry narrowed his eyes in anger as Liam and Zayn looked at each other.  
After that, Harry knew exactly what was going on.  
They were under attack from someone. Someone was trying to prank them, and Harry thought he knew who.  
Then, half the house came down the stairs complaining that they'd heard it too.  
"BOYS!" Harry called out over them. There were 8 of them congregated in the lounge so Harry stood on the coffee table to talk.  
He knew it had to be Louis, considering what he'd done that morning. He knew it was coming.  
"Someone's fucking with us." Harry ground his teeth together. "Get ready. It's game on."


	9. Chapter 9

Louis and Niall, accompanied by their 3 closest friends, slowly crept along the street, trying desperately to remain unseen. They were on their last chance, if they were caught doing pulling a prank again, they would be kicked out of the school. One more strike and they were out.  
Louis put his finger to his lips to quieten them down as they approached Harry’s front lawn.  
Just behind a tree, they huddled.  
“So are we clear on the plan?” Louis whispered to the other boys.  
“Yep, good to go.” One of them replied and Niall gave a swift nod, indicating it was time to begin.  
Two boys climbed up onto the roof before being handed 3 huge Greek letters, the letters of Louis’ frat. They tore down the existing letters and replaced them with their own, smirking in triumph and their feat.  
Louis watched and nodded when they were in place. Then, Niall and another guy pulled out their spray paint guns and began to cover the walls blue and orange, their colours.  
The two boys on the roof pulled Louis up after he handed them a bag.  
Once he was up, he took the bag and proceeded to climb further up the roof, all the while, Niall and his friend covered the house in their colours before adding some toilet paper and party poppers.  
Louis smirked as he threw the bag over his shoulder and climbed higher. This was going to be his greatest prank yet, he thought to himself.  
Once he reached the highest point, he began to move towards the chimney, followed by the two others.  
When they were there, he turned to them.  
“Are they in here?” He asked.  
“Yep, 40 stink bombs, ready to go.” One replied.  
“All you have to do is drop them in and they’ll go off when they hit the bottom.” The other added.  
Louis smirked and high-fived them both.  
“Sweet.” He smiled before tipping the bag upside down and letting the bombs fall through the chimney to where Louis knew they would land, in the centre of their living room.  
With any luck, they would stink out the entire bottom floor.  
Louis quickly stuffed the now empty bag in his back pocket before quickly scrambling to get off the roof.  
Niall and the boys all congregated on the front lawn to admire their work. Louis smiled triumphantly and high-fived all his friends.  
“Nice work, boys.” He announced.  
“Job well done.” Niall added.  
But they had taken too long.  
Just as they turned to leave, the front door opened and Harry accompanied by his army of assholes, as Louis called them, came pouring through.  
They were coughing and gagging, letting Louis know that the stink bombs worked, but they were ready to put up a fight.  
“ATTACK!” Harry shouted from the porch as 6 guys all came running down the steps with water guns.  
“Shit.” Louis cursed before turning to run, but they had surrounded them.  
They were moving past them to the road before turning back and advancing, blocking Louis’ only escape.  
“Fuck.” Niall swore under his breath as they desperately looked around.  
There was a long line of guys blocking their way back to the road, leaving their only way out was to go through the back garden, and even then, they probably weren’t going to be able to get out that way.  
“What do we do?” One of the guys asked.  
“Do you still have your paint guns?” Louis replied, looking to Niall who quickly nodded.  
“Use them.” Louis instructed.  
Niall reached into the bag he had brought and pulled out the two guns, handing one to one of the guys.  
Then, he gave the bag to Louis.  
“It still has toilet rolls in it, you can throw them.” Niall told him.  
Louis nodded and let out a breath.  
“Let’s go.” He told his team before they turned back around to be met with water guns and rival frat boys.  
The moment they were facing them, Harry’s team begin to soak them with water and cry horrendous battle cries.  
It was a flurry of yelling, water, paint and toilet paper in Harry’s front yard, a situation Louis had found himself in before.  
Often, Louis and Harry’s pranks resulted in a fight between them. Louis was actually surprised that it hadn’t happened earlier when Harry pranked him.  
As they threw the paper and sprayed paint, Louis and his team edged further towards the side of the house.   
Once they were there, they turned their backs and sprinted to the back yard, followed closely by Harry leading his boys.  
“Where to now?” One of the guys asked Louis when they emerged into the back garden.  
Louis looked around quickly, pushing his soaking wet hair back off his face.  
He had to think fast, he could hear them coming after him.  
He breathed heavily and swung the bag over his shoulder as he tried to find a good vantage point.  
“There.” Niall pointed to a short concrete wall separating the grassy garden from a small pebbled courtyard.  
Louis nodded and they ran towards it, jumped it and huddled behind it.  
“Okay,” Louis began. “We can hide behind here and throw shit as they come closer. Niall, cover them in paint, I don’t care, just do it.”  
Niall nodded. “Okay, let’s do it.”  
They chanted their frat name before taking up their attacking positions behind the wall just as Harry came charging into the garden.  
“NOW!” Louis shouted.  
Their 5 heads popped up along with their make-shift weapons from the brick wall as they hatched the plan.  
Immediately, Harry and the two guys in the front were coated in blue and orange paint and hit with toilet paper rolls.  
“Fuck!” Harry shouted as they all came to a halt and lowered their water guns in favour of defending themselves.  
“Shed!” he shouted again as they all turned to run behind the shed in the corner of the garden.  
It was silent as both fraternities waited for the other to attack.  
Behind the shed, Harry spoke to his friends.   
“Zayn, Liam, Ed.” He turned to them. “Ready? I want you to climb onto the roof,” he pointed to the shed roof. “And shoot at them from up there.”  
“You,” He pointed to the others. “Go from the sides. Now.” He ordered.  
Everyone scrambled to obey him and began to fight again. He could hear the cries of both fraternities as the fight resumed.  
Once everyone was gone, he was alone with Zayn who had hung back.  
“Harry, do you really think this is a good idea? We just talked about-” He tried.  
“I know what we just talked about.” Harry snapped, interrupting him. “And yes, this is a good idea.”  
“Harry-”  
“No. Did you see, or should I say smell what they did to our house?!”  
“No Harry. Listen to me.” Harry looked at Zayn, a little shocked at his tone. “Don’t do this. You don’t need to, just please, surrender or whatever, so you can talk.”  
Harry sighed, finally hearing him.  
“You’re right.” He admitted. “This is stupid.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.  
“Guys,” He called out. “Stop.”  
Immediately, he heard the water guns stop. A roll of toilet paper rolled off the roof and fell into his hands. He sighed as he looked at it.  
He handed his water gun to one of the guys and walked out from around the side of the shed with his hands in the air.   
Harry didn’t want to fight anymore, he only began this one out of habit. It’s what they usually did, so he just retaliated like normal.  
But he didn’t want that anymore.  
After his talk with Zayn, he knew he wanted to make things right with Louis. Regardless of his crush on the feathery haired boy, Harry wanted to at least be friends.  
He knew Louis wasn’t likely to like him back, but he didn’t want to lose him.  
So he decided to try and be friends.  
“Don’t shoot.” He called out as he walked into the middle of the garden. “I just wanna talk.”  
Louis’ head popped up over the edge of the wall, a frown on his face.  
He looked at Harry for a minute before ducking back down again.  
“What does he want?” Niall asked. “Cause my patience has just about worn through with that fucker. I’ll kick his ass.”  
“Niall,” Louis chastised, smacking the back of his head.  
“What? After what he did to you, I’m surprised you don’t want me to.” He retorted, earning another smack.  
“He doesn’t have any weapons on him.” Louis told the group as they huddled behind the wall.  
“It could be a trick.” The guy next to Louis whispered, making him stop to think.  
Louis turned around to see Harry still standing in the middle of the lawn, scratching the back of his neck while he talked to Zayn in hushed tones.  
“This is hopeless.” Harry moaned as Zayn came up to him. “He won’t talk to me.”  
“Yes he will,” Zayn reassured him. “Just explain everything and apologize.”   
Harry let out a breath and nodded before Zayn patted his back and disappeared behind the shed with the rest of Harry’s team.  
He turned around to look back at Louis but he was gone.  
Louis had duck back down behind the wall again.  
He hadn’t heard what they were saying, but he thought Harry looked genuine, standing alone with no water gun.  
“I don’t know man,” Niall warned. “I wouldn’t trust him.”  
“I’m not saying I do. I don’t.” Louis snapped. “But I think he actually just wants to talk.”  
Niall shook his head and let out a breath. “Okay, go. Do it.”  
Louis looked to his other friends who all nodded before standing up completely.  
Niall grabbed his hand. “Just, be careful, okay?” He said meaningfully. “Take this.”  
Louis took the paint gun Niall held out to him. His eyes held so much more meaning than a simple warning. Niall didn’t want his best mate getting fucked over by Harry yet again.  
Louis nodded and began to walk out from behind their makeshift barricade.  
Harry saw his upper body appear above the wall and smiled. He didn’t think he was going to want to talk.  
Louis, however, held the paint gun across his chest as he walked over to Harry with a hard face.  
“Hi,” Harry said when Louis stopped in front of him. “I didn’t think you were going to come-”  
“What do you want?” Louis interrupted him, making Harry’s smile fall a little.  
“Um, I just wanted to, uh, apologize.” He looked down at the floor as he spoke.  
“Okay.” Louis cocked an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.  
“I’m, um, sorry. For leaving the way I did this morning. I don’t know-”  
“Harry, if you don’t know, then we shouldn’t be having this conversation.” Louis interrupted him again with a scowl. “You have no idea how it feels to wake up like that, and then have you come and fuck up my house like that.”  
“I know, and I’m sorry-”  
“A simple apology is not going to fix it.”  
Harry stopped and gulped, running a hand though his hair. He didn’t know what to do.  
He wasn’t expecting Louis to just jump into his arms and completely forgive him straight away, but he certainly wasn’t expecting it to be this hard.  
“I want you to know, that I really am sorry.” He said in a small voice.  
“Then why?” Louis asked. “If you feel this badly about it now, why did you do it in the first place?”  
“I don’t know!” Harry said loudly in frustration.  
“Hey, don’t shout at me.” Louis warned him, stepping backwards.  
“I don’t know what more I can say!” Harry replied. “I’ve apologized-”  
“And I said before, a simple apology is not going to make this all okay. You hurt me.”  
“I KNOW I HURT YOU.” Harry yelled and immediately lowered his voice. “I know what I did, you don’t have to keep reminding me.”  
“What, so you don’t have to think about it?” Louis rose his voice a little too. “How about me, Harry? I can’t stop thinking about it.”  
“I KNOW! And I’m sorry.” Harry exclaimed. “I’m so fucking sorry and I want to take it all back.”  
“Really? So you wouldn’t have done anything you did last night?” Louis asked, offended.  
“No, I-” Harry realised what he said. “I just mean, the hurting part- I didn’t- I wouldn’t-”  
“So you wouldn’t have kissed me, you wouldn’t have slept with me?”  
“That’s not what I meant-” Harry tried but Louis continued, ignoring him.  
“You didn’t want to have sex with me?”   
“STOP!” Harry shouted.   
“No, let’s hear the truth.” Louis demanded. “Let’s hear what the Great, Almighty Harry Styles really thinks of me.”  
“NO! JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Harry screamed, finally exploding.  
Louis paused, all the anger just washing off his face.  
“Wow.” He said slowly. “And I thought you were changing at least a little. I wasn’t even expecting an apology and you proved me wrong but here we are, same old Harry.” He indicated to the angry man in front of him.  
“Fuck off.” Harry spat. “Stop with all this blaming shit. It’s not all on me.”   
Louis nearly laughed. “And how is any of this on me? What the fuck have I done to you?”  
“You- You-. FUCK!” Harry screamed, running his hands through his hair as he began to pace.  
“You know, it took a lot for me to let you in. I knew about your ways and I was wary. I didn’t want to open up to you, but I did. Boy do I regret that...” Louis spoke slowly.  
“You really should have known better.” Harry’s words felt like punches to his stomach. “You should have know I was never going to care.”  
Never going to care.  
Those words rang through Louis’ head and make him feel nauseous. Harry never cares, so Louis couldn’t help but blame is own stupidity.  
He knew this was going to happen.   
He knew Harry was like this, still, he let him in. He let him charm him and worm his way into his heart.  
Louis wanted to just smack himself. Harry was right, he should have known better.  
“You’re a conceited asshole who only cares about his reputation. Sorry to have put a dent in that, by the way.” Louis snapped.  
“Fuck you. You’re just a whiny brat who keeps chasing after something he can’t have.” Harry retorted.  
“Go fuck yourself, Harry. Cause I sure as hell won’t be doing it anymore.” Louis sneered.  
“I wouldn’t want you to anyway.” Harry childishly remarked, making Louis roll his eyes.  
“I hope I never have to talk to you again.”   
“I hope I never have to talk to you again, Lewis.”  
Louis shook his head and ground his teeth together.   
“I can’t believe I ever liked you.” He confessed.   
“I can’t believe I fucked you.” Harry spat. “And for the record. Yes, I would take back everything from last night, including ever even agreeing to come to your lame-ass party, let alone talking to you, queer.”  
Louis looked at him, his eyes so full of hate he couldn’t even find something to say. He shook his head and bit back tears before turning around and walking across the garden to leave.  
About halfway down the street, he heard his friends calling out to him as he walked back to the house, but he ignored them.  
He wanted to be alone.


	10. Chapter 10

When Louis got home, he ran straight to his room and locked the door, despite his friends’ desperate pleas with him to let them in.  
They wanted to comfort him, but all Louis wanted was to cry himself to sleep and build up his walls so no one could ever infiltrate his heart again.  
He made a mistake letting Harry in and he was going to make sure no one ever hurt him again.  
He didn’t understand how a person could be so cruel yet so incredibly intoxicating. Louis was drawn to him, even though he constantly treated him like shit. He hated Harry, but felt lonely without their strange interactions.  
And he hated himself for feeling that way.  
In that moment, he made the decision to never let Harry dictate his life again. He was going to filter out anything that had anything to do with the curly haired scumbag.  
He threw himself down into his bed face first and buried his head in his pillow as tears finally coated his face.  
He cried his heart out into his pillow, kicking his shoes off and tucking himself into a little ball on his bed.  
The bed that was still full of Harry from the previous night. It smelt like him and was still messy from the way they’d left it. The sheets were still dirty and it just reeked of the essence of Harry.  
Louis wanted to wash it immediately, to get rid of all the Harry in his room. But first, he wanted to cry and be left alone to let out his emotions.  
“Louis. Louis, please.” Niall begged, knocking on his door.  
“Fuck off, Ni. I don’t want to talk to anyone.” Louis yelled back, choking a little.  
“Louis, trust me. I hate him as much as you do right now.” Niall attempted.  
“NO! YOU DON’T! You haven’t just had your heart ripped out and fucking obliterated. Just leave me alone!” Louis screamed before shoving his head down again and sobbing.  
Niall took a deep breath before continuing.   
It was clear that his friend needed him, not matter what profanities he yelled. Niall knew he had to be there, even if Louis said that he didn’t want it.  
“Louis, I know you.” He said softly, resting his forehead on the door. “I’m your best friend. I know that you like your tea black. I know that you like guys that are taller than you. I know that you don’t eat carrots because they make you sick. And I know that when someone breaks your heart, you need someone to hold you. You like it when you put your head in my lap and I stroke your hair.” He stopped for a second before getting even quieter.   
“Lou, let me in, please.”  
Louis sat up and took a few breaths, realising that Niall was right. He did know him. And Louis did need him.  
He got up shakily and moved towards the door.  
He slowly unlocked it and opened it to reveal Niall standing with a sad smile and extended arms, ready to hold him.  
Even though Louis looked like an absolute mess, his hair sticking up and his face all red and blotchy, Niall didn’t notice.  
All he noticed was that Louis was upset and needed his best friend.  
Niall stepped into the room and scooped him up into his arms just as another bout of tears overtook him.  
“C’mere.” He cooed.  
Niall closed the door behind them and moved the crying boy to the bed so they could sit down.  
He leant back against the headboard so Louis could so just what Niall had said. He laid down beside him and rested his head in Niall’s lap so Niall could gently thread his fingers through his hair to calm him down.  
“I hate him.” Louis sobbed.  
“I know, I know. I hate him too.” Niall agreed, rubbing his back.  
“Why? Why did this have to happen?” he continued, just wanting to let it out.  
“You didn’t deserve it mate. You didn’t deserve any of it.” Niall reassured him.  
“Why is he like this? WHY? Why do I feel like this? What’s wrong with me? What’s happening...” Louis trailed off as he cried harder.  
“It’s okay, Lou. You’re allowed to feel like this. Just let it out.” Niall said, still rubbing his back and stroking his hair.  
“I fucking hate him.” Louis continued crying. “His ‘apology’ just turned into another blow up. That’s all that ever happens! Whenever we’re near each other, we just blow up. It’s too much. We’re too much...”   
“Shhh. Bud, it’s okay. We’ll get him back.” Niall cooed.  
“I don’t want to.” Louis whispered, squeezing his eyes closed.  
“Huh?” Niall asked.  
“I don’t want to get him back. I don’t want anything to do with him.” Louis explained. “I will never even look his way again. He’s scum. He’s a fucking arrogant asshole who deserves everything bad in this world.”  
Niall nodded to himself. “Okay, if that’s what you want.” He said softly. “We’ll do what you want.”  
Louis whimpered a little and pressed his face into Niall’s leg as more tears flowed down his face.  
“Fuck.” Louis whispered.  
Niall could only watch and try to comfort as his best friend let out all his emotions. He continued to just be there while Louis poured his heart out and eventually fell asleep.  
Niall slowly rubbed his shoulder and back until his breaths evened out and he was sure that Louis was sleeping.  
He slowly manoeuvred his body out from under Louis and stood up, careful not to wake him.   
He pulled the duvet up to cover his body and tucked a pillow under his head.  
Niall looked at him with a sad expression and took a step back.  
Louis’ face was red and wet with tears, a frown still present on in and all Niall wanted was for that pain to go away.  
He turned around and closed the curtains before leaving turning the lights out and leaving the room, shutting the door after him.  
Niall took a deep breath and ran his hands over his face. He didn’t know what to do to help Louis. He wasn’t sure what he could do to make it all go away.  
He turned around to go down stairs and nearly bumped into another guy, Nick, who lived in the frat house with them.  
“Oh, sorry, Grimmy.” Niall said. “Didn’t see you there.”  
Then, he looked at what he was holding.  
He had a few buckets in his hands along with dishrags and a mop.  
“It’s okay, mate.” Nick replied, his smile dropping when he saw Niall looking at his armfuls of cleaning equipment. “We’re going to clean up outside, you know... the mess Harry made earlier.”  
Niall nodded. “Yeah, it’d be best to get that gone before he wakes up.” Niall gestured towards Louis’ room. “He doesn’t need to be reminded.”  
Nick nodded sadly. “Uh, yeah. I heard about what happened, we all did, actually. I’m sor-”   
“Don’t.” Niall interrupted him. “Just don’t talk about it, yeah? He doesn’t need to hear you all be sorry. Just act like it didn’t happen and try to help him get back to normal.”  
Nick nodded again, understandingly.  
“I’ll come out to help.” Niall offered, which was gratefully accepted by Nick.  
They went down stairs together where Niall saw a few of the other guys filling buckets in the kitchen and grabbing soaps.   
Niall opened the front door for Nick and a few of them to start the windows before going out the back to survey the damage on the deck.  
That was the worst of it. After the windows and deck was done, there would only be a small task of picking up the rubbish they left behind and they would be done.  
Niall bent down and ran a finger through the paint on the deck. It was dried and permanent, meaning it would take a while to get off.  
He sighed and went back inside to tell the others and grab another mop.  
Once he did, he opened the front door to tell Nick about the paint when he was met by a completely different sight.  
Niall’s eyes widened in disbelief as he took it in.  
Harry was marching up to the house. Well, trying as he was being held back by some of the guys and Nick.  
“Let go of me!” Harry shouted. “Fuck off. I need to talk to him.”  
“No chance.” Nick replied, as he pulled Harry’s arms back. “You need to get the fuck out of here.”  
“No-”  
“You’ve done enough already. Can’t you see? You’ve already fucked up enough of his life. Just get out.” Nick spat, making Harry spin around angrily to face him.  
“You don’t know shit.” He shot back. “Just let me talk.”  
He was beyond angry.   
Angry was what he was when he was speaking to Louis in his back garden in the middle of their war.  
Since then, he’d been through a variety of emotions.  
After Louis and the others left, he broke down. He knelt in the middle of the garden and put his head in his hands, trying his hardest not to cry.  
His mates all came out from around the back of the shed to comfort him but he could barely hear it. His head was just filled with what Louis had said.  
You’re a conceited asshole who only cares about his reputation.   
I can’t believe I ever liked you.   
I hope I never have to talk to you again.  
He heard Zayn tell the others to leave and he felt his friends arm around his shoulders.  
Zayn asked what happened and Harry explained through his choking sobs.  
Zayn tried to reassure him just has he had earlier just before the attack when they were in the lounge.  
Then, Harry stopped crying and lost all emotion. He became blank and Zayn started to worry.  
That was when the fact that he had lost Louis just sunk in. He realised that he was gone and for some strange reason, he felt like that was the end of his world.  
He became completely blank and Zayn had to try and make him see that it would be okay.  
Then, he started laughing as he denied that Louis hated him. He got overly happy and thought that nothing had even happened. Harry completely convinced himself that Louis was still in love with him and that they would live happily ever after.  
Once Zayn talked some sense into him and finally showed him reality, he got sad again.  
He didn’t cry again, he was too exhausted to cry, he was just devastated that Louis didn’t want anything to do with him.  
Zayn, again, told him that if he apologized the way he told him to earlier, and didn’t let it turn into a war like it just had, then Louis would listen.  
So he built his hopes up and ran straight to Louis’ house, only to be greeted with very angry frat boys, all with an allegiance to Louis and a desire to kill him.  
He was at his last straw.  
Harry ripped his arm away from Nick and turned back to Niall who was standing on the deck.  
Before anyone could do anything about it, Harry was face to face with Niall.  
“Please let me see him.”  
“Get the fuck off the porch.”  
“Ni, pleas-”  
“Fuck off. You’ve already fucked up enough for one day.”  
“I need to speak with him.”  
Harry’s voice was getting higher and wet as he fought back tears again, something Niall had never seen coming from the ever-composed Harry.  
But still, he wouldn’t waver.  
Not when his best friend’s sanity was at stake.  
“I don’t care what you say. There is nothing that can come from that mouth of yours that will make me move.”  
“Ni, please. I have to apologize. I didn’t mean what I said. Any of it.”  
“No, Harry. What do you not understand about No. N. O. No.”  
“Please!”  
“No! And considering how your last apology went, I really don’t want to let you in.”  
Harry threw his hands in the air and groaned. He turned around and ran back down the steps before turning and facing the house.  
“I’m sorry!” he shouted upwards, towards Louis’ bedroom window. “Louis! I’m so fucking sorry and you were right about me. I’m ev-”  
Before he could finish, Niall tackled him to ground.  
“He’s asleep.” Niall hissed through gritted teeth. “Do not wake him. You have no idea what it took to get him to calm down.”  
“Fuck.” Harry swore at himself, his eyes glistening with tears. “P-Please...”  
Niall shook his head and stood up.  
“Just go.” He spat. “Leave, and stay the fuck away from Louis.”  
“I can’t promise that. I need to tell him how sorry I am.” Harry begged one last time.  
“He knows.” A voice from the front porch made both Niall and Harry spin around in shock.  
Louis was standing there, his hands fisted at his sides as he clenched his teeth as his blue eyes sparkled with anger.  
“And he doesn’t give a fuck.”


	11. Chapter 11

“Louis...” Harry breathed when he saw him in the doorway. All the confidence suddenly being sucked out of him made his knees go weak.  
“What part of ‘fuck off’ do you not understand? I heard Niall yelling at you to leave at least twice during that conversation.”  
“Louis, please.” Harry tried to step forward but Niall grabbed his arm and held him back.  
Harry snarled at him and tried to break free but Niall held on tight, not budging.  
“Louis, go back inside.” Niall said softly. “He was just leaving.”  
“No, he wasn’t-” Harry tried again but Louis cut him off.  
“Why are you even here?” Louis asked sharply, walking down the steps and across the grass with his arms crossed over his chest.  
Nick sucked in a nervous breath and looked over at Niall who seemed at a loss of what to do.  
Louis was confident, for once. He knew that Harry was finally feeling guilty and took advantage of that.  
He was going to be strong and finally stand up to that guy who had played his emotions for years.  
“Hm?” He prompted as he came to a stop in front of Harry.  
Harry just gulped and looked away, too intimidated to look him in the eye.  
Niall looked between them and upon seeing Harry’s scared face, he deemed it safe enough to leave.  
He motioned to the others who all followed him inside, leaving the two outside to talk.  
“Well? What were you hoping to gain from this?” Louis asked again. “First, you sleep with me, then completely trash my house, then try to apologize but end up being even more of an ass than usual, then come over here and try to apologize again. What the fuck is wrong with you?”  
“I-I...” Harry trailed off, running his hands through his hair. “I’m sorry. I-I don’t know. I’m fucked up, I know that.”   
“We all know that.” Louis snapped. “You’re an asshole.”  
“I-I know.” Harry looked down at the ground in shame. “I know, and I’m sorry.”  
“Does that word actually mean anything to you?” Louis narrowed his eyes.  
“What?” Harry looked up confused.  
“Sorry. Does the word ‘sorry’ have any meaning to you? You seem to use it a lot, but you’ve yet to show me you actually are.”  
Harry was at a loss for words. He looked pleadingly at Louis but he didn’t care.  
“I-I’m sorry...” He whispered, tears forming in his eyes but Louis just rolled his eyes.  
“Have you come to ‘apologize’ again? Is that why you’re here?” Louis asked and Harry’s head snapped up.  
“Yes.” He said immediately. “Yes. God, yes. I’m so so sorry. I didn’t mean anything I said before-”  
“Stop.” Louis interrupted. “I want answers. So I’m going to ask questions that you will answer. I sure as hell deserve answers.”  
Harry’s face fell a little but he nodded.  
“Did you mean all the horrible things you said today, about wishing you’d never kissed me or even spoken to me last night?” Louis asked in a neutral tone.  
“No.” Harry shook his head desperately. “Not any of it. Please, I feel horrible for what I did last night-”  
“Shh.” Louis cut him off. “Then why did you say it?”  
“I-I don’t know. I guess I just wanted to hurt you because you were saying all this shit about me and confusing me-”  
“Okay.” Louis cut him off again. “Why would you want to hurt me? What the fuck did I do to you?”  
“I-I, Y-You... nothing, I guess. You just get me so flustered and I got confused.” Harry smiled a little and laughed to himself at that.  
Whether Louis knew it or not, Harry just confessed that Louis got him worked up.  
“I confuse you?” Louis asked in disbelief. “Okay.”  
“I-, just-, you’re different and I, just, uh-. I don’t- I want to know you, I guess.”  
“So, you’re drawn to me, but the moment you get nervous, you get defensive and lash out, trying to hurt me?” Louis scoffed. “That makes sense...”  
“I know it doesn’t make sense and I’m sorry. I just... I don’t know how I’m supposed to act.” Harry tried to explain.  
“How to act!?” Louis exclaimed. “How about not screaming in my face right after you’ve done something wrong? You made a huge scene out of nothing!”  
“I know and I didn’t mean for it to get like that.” Harry replied, his voice rising slightly too.  
“What?” Louis shouted. “You didn’t mean for it to get like that? What the actual fuck? You were the one who started shouting. You started with the insults and YOU WERE THE ONE WHO TOOK IT TOO FAR. You started this shit. You made me feel disgusting for ever liking you. This is all on you!”  
Harry stared at him in shock, realising that he was right.  
It was entirely Harry’s fault, and now that he had shattered Louis’ trust, it was going to be very hard to win it back.  
He had finally come to the understanding that he was going to have to change.   
He wasn’t good enough for Louis, and he so desperately wanted to be, so he was going to have to show him that he could be the guy Louis wanted and deserved.  
“I-I’m sorry...” He said eventually.  
“Oh my God, would you stop saying sorry!?” Louis barked. “I’m sick and tired of hearing that word come out of your mouth.”  
“I-I” Harry tried but stopped.  
“You may feel bad about what happened, but I won’t ever believe that you’re actually sorry until you show me you are, properly.” Louis explained. “Every time you ‘apologize’, you end up behaving even worse. Until you actually show me that you’re sorry, I won’t believe you.”  
“Louis, please-”  
“Don’t.” Louis cut him off. “I don’t want to hear it. I’m tired of this stupid game. It’s gotten out of hand and it’s just too destructive. It’s hurting me. It physically hurts my heart when this shit happens and I can’t deal with it anymore.”  
“Louis, please listen. I’ll show you. I’ll do anything!” Harry started rambling and Louis held up a hand to stop him.  
“Harry, I don’t want you to do anything. I want you to leave me alone. I’m tired. And I’m done. Don’t talk to me. Just don’t interact with me, ever.” He stated, turning to walk back inside the house.  
More than anything, Harry wanted to shout. That’s how he got his anger and frustrations out, but that was what had gotten him into that mess in the first place.  
He tried to hold it in as he watched Louis walk away, but he couldn’t just let Louis go.  
“Louis, please listen to me. I know I’m a horrible human being and you don’t deserve anything I’ve done to you, but I’m just asking for one more chance.”  
“You don’t get to ask for anything.” Louis said coldly from the top of the steps. “Not from me.”  
“P-Please. I’ll show you I can change. I can be a better person.” Harry dropped to his knees. “Please Louis, one chance. I can show you.”  
Louis watched him for a long moment, judging his character.  
Then he shook his head.  
“Earn it.” Louis snapped. “I’m fresh out of free passes for you.”  
He turned around to the front door and just has his hand touched the handle, he had a thought.  
He slowly turned around to see a completely deflated Harry looking at him desperately.  
“If you ever want a chance with me, you’ll have to fix what you’ve broken.” He told him before disappearing inside the house.


	12. Chapter 12

Harry ran a hand through his hair and bit his lip, willing himself not to cry in the middle of Louis’ front yard.  
He was still on his knees on the path and had remained there even after Louis had slammed the door and disappeared into the house.  
He wiped his hands down his face and took a deep breath as he stood up and brushed off his jeans.  
The only thing he could think about was what Louis had said.  
Earn it. If you ever want a chance with me, you’ll have to fix what you’ve broken.  
Fix what you’ve broken.  
The words ran through Harry’s head like a chime in the wind.  
He realised, that he had broken Louis. Louis no longer trusted him. Louis no longer wanted anything to do with him, and Harry was going to have to fix it.  
He was determined to earn the chance to show him, just as Louis had said. Harry was intent on getting Louis to listen again. He knew he could do it.  
He just needed to show him that he was a better person. That he really cared.  
He needed to fix his relationship with Louis and in turn, fix Louis.  
He walked up to the front door and knocked.  
It was abruptly opened by Niall, who’s face dropped when he saw who it was.  
“Harry.” He deadpanned.   
“Hey,” Harry awkwardly replied.  
“I thought we told you to fuck off?” Niall continued, emotionless. “Surely, even some one as mentally challenged as you would have got the message by now.”  
“I-I” Harry began. “Is Louis there?” he asked, hoping for one more chance.  
Maybe Louis had calmed down a little, maybe he was more willing to talk now.  
“Dude.” Niall shook his head in disbelief. “He literally just told you to leave.”  
“Please?” Harry asked in a small voice.  
“No. You have fucked him over one too many times and I’m not about to stand here and watch you do it again.” Niall spat. “You need to leave. Now.”  
Niall began to close the door on him, but Harry put his foot in the way.  
“Wait!” he exclaimed.  
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Niall rolled his eyes. “Move Harry, or I’ll call campus police.”  
“No, c’mon.” Harry smiled a little. “Can you just let me speak to him for a second.”  
“No.” Niall replied.  
“For a friend?” Harry asked.  
“We’re not friends.” Niall stated. “Not anymore. You’re a despicable human being.”  
Harry frowned and gulped, nodding to himself.  
“Okay,” he whispered.  
Niall rolled his eyes again. “Don’t play that card. Don’t make me think you care when you don’t.”  
“I do.” Harry pleaded.   
“You don’t.” Niall retaliated. “You never do. The only things you care about are alcohol and sex.”  
“That’s not true-” Harry started but Niall interrupted him.  
“Yes it is!” Niall barked. “This is the thing you do. You make someone think you care, then fuck them over. Well not this time. You’re not getting near him again. Can’t you see you’ve already broken him? This is too much, Harry. Too much.”  
Harry’s face crumpled as he bit his lip, practically forcing himself not to cry. He didn’t want to look weak, but more than anything, he wanted to go home and let his emotions take over.  
“Goodbye, Harry. And don’t come back.” Niall spat, shoving the door against his foot, making Harry move it so the door could be slammed in his face.  
“Fuck.” He cursed, turning around and kicking the air. He sat on the step and put his head in his hands.  
Louis hated him and because of that, Harry hated himself.  
He made the most beautiful, incredible boy in the world feel terrible about himself. He made him feel uncomfortable and doubt himself. He made his life hell. He trashed his house. He flirted his girls in front of him.  
But most of all, he made him break. He pushed him too far and he shattered into a million pieces. He lost it, he yelled, he screamed, he swore and he fought. He was completely and utterly broken.  
Because of Harry, Louis had lost trust in people and that was incredibly hard to restore.  
Sitting on the steps, Harry had time to think.  
He made a plan.  
He was going to fix the beautiful boy he had broken, whatever it took.  
Because right then, Harry knew that his feelings were more than just curiosity and intrigue. He had developed a crush as he teased and flirted over the years.  
And after the previous night’s events and that day, he knew that his ‘crush’ was very much real.  
And was quickly escalating into something much more.  
He stood up and shoved his hands into his pockets as he made the decision to do something he would never to in a million years.  
The only reason he was contemplating it, was for Louis.  
Because he would do anything for him, it was becoming painfully obvious.  
He sucked in a breath and wandered down the side of the house and into the back garden.  
He looked around to see two guys picking rubbish out of bushes and another one cleaning the windows, a bucket and sponge in his hands. There was a whole bunch of cleaning equipment by the back door and a few more guys coming out with buckets.  
They were getting ready to clean, something Harry never did.  
Even after Louis had played a prank on his house, he wouldn’t clean it. The others would and he would watch, because Harry doesn’t get his hands dirty, not for anyone.  
Harry steeled himself for what he was about to do, and went for it.  
He quickly walked up the steps and onto the deck where Harry had written the huge message for Louis, completely defacing the area.  
Reluctantly, he grabbed a sponge and bucket and began to scrub the deck.  
The guys in the garden looked at him like an alien.   
Why the hell was Harry in their back garden, cleaning?  
Nick and Niall came out the back, talking about God knows what, and froze, seeing Harry on his hands and knees.  
“What the fuck?” Nick whispered to Niall, who just rolled his eyes and strode over to Harry.  
“What are you doing?” Niall asked.  
Harry gritted his teeth before speaking. “Cleaning.” He said painfully.  
“Why?” Niall asked again.  
“Because I wanted to help.” Harry replied, becoming shy all of a sudden.  
“Why?” Niall repeated.  
“Because I feel terrible. I’m trying to make it up to him...” Harry answered in a small voice, keeping his eyes on the ground.  
He kept scrubbing as Niall spoke.  
“You think this is going to make it up?” Niall scoffed. “How stupid are you?”  
“No.” Harry replied. “I don’t think this will make it up, I just think that it’s a start.”  
Niall stayed silent while Harry kept cleaning, not looking up.  
“There’s a pressure hose around the side of the house.” Niall said curtly. “It may help.”  
He spun on his heel, taking Nick with him to go clean elsewhere as they left Harry on the deck.  
Harry absolutely loathed the fact that he was cleaning, but it was something he would do over and over again if it meant Louis would at least look his way.  
He kept his head down and scrubbed, completely unaware of the blue-eyed boy watching from his bedroom window with a small smile, surprised and a little grateful for the action.


	13. Chapter 13

Louis watched the cleaning of his house happen from his window. He wanted to go help, but Harry was out there and he didn’t feel like yet another fight.  
Because a fight was inevitable.  
Harry was such an asshole to him and he didn’t want to even interact with him.  
He was so fired up from their fight, adrenaline still pumping through him. He wanted to hot something.  
He wanted to hurt Harry the way he had been hurt.  
But instead, he fell asleep.  
He spent a few hours that afternoon sleeping and then eventually, he woke up much calmer.  
He stretched and heard the music coming from downstairs, letting him know that they were still working. There was always music when they cleaned.  
He crawled out of bed, changed and he made his way downstairs.  
The sun was hot and everyone was still outside working, Harry still hadn’t moved from his spot on the wooden deck.  
Louis entered the kitchen and jumped up onto the counter, looking out the huge glass doors that lead outside to proudly watch his boys clean up.  
They were like his family, brothers for life. They were there when he needed him and never let him down. He was forever grateful for them.  
He opened a can of coke and took a long gulp, only looking up when he heard the sliding door open.  
Niall walked in and gave him a smile before getting a drink from the fridge.  
“Dude, Harry’s outside cleaning.” Niall had said as he jumped up onto the bench, can of coke in hand.  
“Bullshit.” Louis scoffed. “I was watching. He’s just making it worse. I bet the idiot doesn’t know how to clean. Harry doesn’t clean up after himself, everyone knows that.”  
“Well he is.” Niall replied, nodding his head outside, indicating to Harry. “He’s scrubbing the deck.”  
“Well he fucking shouldn’t be.” Louis snapped. “I told him to leave.”  
“I know, I asked him what he was doing and he said ‘making it up to you.’” Niall shrugged.  
“Making it up to me?” Louis laughed humourlessly. “Scrubbing a deck doesn’t even begin to cover all the shit he’s put me through.”  
Niall hummed in agreement. “I know, I told him as much.”  
“And what did he say?” Louis asked quickly, a little too enthusiastically for someone who claimed to hate him.  
“He said he knows, but it was a start.” Niall continued, oblivious to Louis’ outburst.  
Louis rolled his eyes at that, but couldn’t fight the small flutter in his stomach.  
He never expected Harry to turn out to be like this. He thought Harry would go back to ignoring him and hooking up with everyone else in school.   
It never crossed his mind that Harry would actually try to apologise.  
As much as he wanted absolutely nothing to do with him, Harry’s helping actually flattered him a little. He was surprised and couldn’t help but feel a little grateful, although none of that compared to the amount of distaste he had for him.  
“Good,” Louis said. “Maybe it will do him some good to get his hands dirty.”  
The asshole was still and asshole and Louis was nowhere near forgiving him, but Harry had been right, it was a start.  
Louis looked out the window and watched him as he bit his lip in concentration, his hair falling in his face and sticking to his forehead in the heat.  
“Louis?” Niall waved his hand in his view. “Earth to Louis?”  
“Yeah?” Louis replied, snapping his attention back to Niall.  
“Are you staring at him?” Niall asked, a smile playing at his lips.  
“No.” Louis snapped. “No I am not.”  
“Hmhm.” Niall said, not believing him.  
“I wasn’t.” Louis protested. “I was looking outside.”  
“At Harry.” Niall retorted.  
“No.” Louis repeated.  
“Look Louis,” Niall sighed. “Don’t. Please don’t go there again. Don’t look. Don’t talk. Don’t touch.”  
Louis’ eyes turned cold and hard. “Look Niall,” he mocked. “Don’t fucking tell me what to do. I can make my own decisions. And I hate Harry anyway. What makes you think I would go there again?”  
“I can see the heart eyes, Louis.” Niall replied. “He does one little thing for you, and already you’re ready to forgive him.”  
“Fuck off. That’s not true.” Louis barked.  
“So you’re not ready to forgive him?” Niall asked.  
“No.” Louis said curtly. “Of course not.”  
Niall sighed and searched his eyes for any sign of him lying. He couldn’t find anything.  
“Just keep in mind what he’s done to you, okay?” Niall asked, jumping down from the bench and heading back outside.  
“I don’t like him, okay?” Louis shouted after him, pulling his hair in frustration after the back door had closed.  
Though, he wasn’t sure whether he was convincing Niall or himself.  
Louis had always had an issue with trusting people too easily. That’s what had gotten him in that situation to start with. He was too willing to forgive and forget, to let people have second chances and he couldn’t stop himself.  
Already, he could feel his walls coming down. Just this simple favour had Louis wanting to go outside to talk to Harry.  
But he couldn’t.  
He chanted to himself, over and over, begging himself not to.  
Eventually, he had to move into the lounge room and put on a movie, needing a distraction to stop himself from going over to the boy he so desperately needed to avoid.  
.  
To Harry, scrubbing the deck was bullshit. Complete and utter bullshit.  
He hated every second of it, especially all the looks he got from the others. They were all staring and it made him very uncomfortable.  
Usually, he loved being the centre of attention, but right then, he just wanted to disappear.  
The only reason he was still there was for Louis. Because he wanted to show Louis what he would do for him.  
Despite the horrendous task he was performing, he wanted to finish it. He wanted to show Louis that he was worth it, that he would do anything to make things right.  
After a few hours, the sun started going down and Harry was nearly finished cleaning through the mess he made.  
After all, it was a pretty huge mural he created.  
The back garden was still crawling with guys, all helping out. Niall was with another guy, cleaning a window.  
“Why is he here?” The other guy whispered to Niall as the two stole glances at their rival on the deck.  
“He said he wanted to help.” Niall shrugged, dipping the sponge in the water.  
“But why?” The guys asked again, making Niall huff.  
“How am I supposed to know?” Niall snapped.  
“Does Louis know he’s here?” he asked yet another question as they continued wiping the glass.  
“Yeah,” Niall replied. “I was talking to him inside.”  
“Shit.” The guy said under his breath. “Is he okay?”  
“No.” Niall replied. “He’s not. So don’t talk about it.”  
“Drinks!”   
Everyone in the back garden turned their heads around to the voice on the deck.  
Louis had stepped out, his hands full of cans of soft drink for the hard workers.  
Everyone smiled and stopped what they were doing, all going over to Louis and his drinks.  
Harry was scrubbing a part towards the edge of the mess, so he was out of the way of everyone as they scrambled over his work to get a refreshment.  
He kept his head down and continued working, assuming that there wasn’t a drink for him.  
After all, why would Louis get him a drink after everything he’s done?  
He heard someone clear their throat above him and looked up into the sun to see bright blue eyes staring down at him.  
He smiled at Louis but the older lad just scowled in return, holding out a can without saying a word.  
Harry gratefully took it and went to thank him, but Louis turned on his heel and walked away, back to his friends who were all standing around socialising.  
Harry looked down. He didn’t know what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t that.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Slowly, the guys who were outside cleaning with him started to move inside, one by one, until Harry was with only two other guys who were both still scrubbing the windows, one of whom was Niall.  
“It’s getting late,” the guy noticed, looking around. “Shouldn’t he be leaving?”  
Niall huffed and handed the bucket roughly to the guy, throwing the sponge in the water and walking away, towards Harry.  
“You can go.” Niall said emotionlessly to Harry. He stayed down on his hands and knees and kept his head down, still wiping the deck.  
“I’ll stay until I finish.” Harry replied.  
“Whatever.” Niall scoffed, going inside followed by his friend, leaving Harry outside alone.  
In the quiet of the setting sun, Harry thought about all the terrible things he had done and what he could do to fix them.  
After all, that was what all of this was about.  
Earn it. If you ever want a chance with me, you’ll have to fix what you’ve broken.  
Harry kept that in his mind like a mantra, constantly reminding himself as he cleaned.  
“Niall asked you to go.”   
Harry snapped his head up at the sound of his angelic voice.  
Louis had his hands stuffed in his pockets as he walked towards him, making Harry stop what he was doing and smile up at him.  
“I, uh, I-I wanted to stay and, um, finish.” Harry replied.  
Louis looked down at him judgementally. “So you’re trying to make it up to me?” he asked.  
“I, um, I” Harry tried but he didn’t know what to say.  
“Cause this isn’t going to cut it.” Louis snapped.  
“What?” Harry breathed.  
“Did I stutter?” Louis asked. “I said this isn’t going to cut it. You’ll have to do so much more than clean a fucking deck to make it up to me, after everything you’ve done-”  
“I know,” Harry whispered. “I know what I’ve done, and I feel horrible.”  
“Well that’s a first.” Louis scoffed. “Look, all I wanted was to tell you to leave. And this time, I’m not asking.”  
Harry nodded to himself and stood up, brushing off his jeans.  
At least Louis was talking to him, it was sort of a start.  
“I’ll, uh, come back tomorrow and finish this.” Harry gestured to the ground. It wasn’t quite finished, but another hour and he thought it could be gone.  
“Don’t bother. I don’t want to see you.” Louis retorted.  
“I want to.” Harry said more forcefully, taking a step closer.  
“Want to what?” Louis asked, taken aback by Harry’s sudden bout of confidence.  
Harry licked his lips and gulped. “I want to see you. And I want to finish cleaning this. And...”  
Louis gulped as well, nervously as Harry leaned closer. “And?”  
“And this.” Harry answered, quickly dipping down to kiss Louis’ lips.   
Louis was completely shocked. He knew he had to push him off, he needed to push him off, but he couldn’t. It felt so safe and warm, even though he knew he wasn’t.   
It felt like home and he never wanted it to end, even though he knew it had to.  
He couldn’t let Harry control him like that.  
He was about to push him away, but Harry pulled back before he could.  
Harry was smiling and his head was spinning. He was over the moon that he had been allowed to do that.  
“Um,” He cleared his throat, becoming nervous. “I, uh, that. I wanted to, um, do that and I’ll, uh, just, l-leave now. I’ll go.”  
Louis kept his eyes on the ground, trying desperately to hide the small smile that was forming.  
“I’ll see you tomorrow morning, Lou.” Harry said over his shoulder as he disappeared into the night, leaving behind a very confused Louis to mull over the array of emotions bubbling in his chest.


	14. Chapter 14

Louis woke up the next morning feeling very conflicted.  
He knew he shouldn’t have let Harry kiss him, but there was no denying that he liked it.  
He wanted, more than anything, to feel nothing. He wanted to make himself stop caring, it would have made everything so much easier if he could.  
But unfortunately, he couldn’t.  
When Harry’s lips met his the night before, it felt like heaven. Sparks were flying everywhere and there was so much chemistry, Louis wanted It to keep going forever.  
The kiss made his head spin and for a second, he thought that everything was going to be okay.  
Then he remembered it was Harry that he was kissing.  
Harry made it seem so normal. It was sweet and caring and made Harry seem almost like the perfect guy.  
Almost.  
Louis knew he couldn’t have anything to do with him, no matter how good the kiss was. He knew that he had to stay away, or he would get hurt again.  
Until Harry showed him that he was a nice person, Louis wasn’t going to go there, not after the things Harry had done to him.  
He sighed as he rolled over in bed and looked at the clock.   
9am.  
Louis hated Mondays, mainly because he had to go to class that started at 10.  
The building was only a 5 minute walk away from his house, so I wasn’t too bad, he just didn’t like the prospect of being in a class with Harry right after a party.  
He would always sit behind Louis and whisper in his ear about all the sexual debacles he had over the weekend. He teased him and made him angry and jealous and Louis hated it.  
If Harry even actually came to the class.  
It was literature, and Louis was actually interested in it, not that he would let anyone know that.  
He rolled out of the bed, grabbing the book they were studying from under the bed and throwing it in his bag so it was ready to go.  
He walked over to his dresser to grab some clothes, and looked out the window to see Harry walking up to his front door, his bag in hand like he was ready to go to class.  
“Shit.” Louis swore, remembering that he had said he was coming over to finish cleaning.  
He was going to go down and show him round to the back so he could do it, but the he remembered that he was supposed to still be angry at him, so he ignored him instead.  
He made his way into the shower and took his time relaxing under the hot water, trying to calm himself down.  
He didn’t know what to do about Harry.  
He liked him, he really did, but Harry was an ass. He needed to get over him, but after the kiss last night, it was apparent that Harry wasn’t going to let that happen.  
Louis liked the way Harry was acting yesterday. If he would only be like that all the time, Louis would have no problem falling for him.  
But he was afraid.  
He was scared that Harry was only being like that to make him like him again, before he hurt him all over again, like he was lulling him into a false sense of security.  
Louis pulled his hair in frustration before stepping out and getting dressed.   
Once he was ready, he grabbed his back and went downstairs to find Niall in the kitchen.  
“Hey mate,” The blonde kid chirped as Louis entered the room.  
“Hey Niall,” He replied, trying to seem as if nothing was wrong, but Niall knew him too well.  
“What’s up?” He asked as Louis went to the fridge and grabbed the juice, pouring himself a glass. “You know Harry’s outside?  
“Uh, Yeah.” Louis answered, ”I saw from the window. He said he was going to come over and finish up.”  
“Oh did he now?” He asked.  
“Yeah, good thing to. I wasn’t going to clean it so I’m glad he did.” Louis snapped and Niall put his hands up in defense.  
“Calm down mate.” He laughed. “What’s got your knickers in a knot? Had a bad night’s sleep?”  
“Uh, yeah.” Louis awkwardly scratched the back of his neck before jumping onto the bench next to him.  
“Sure? It’s not because Harry kissed you last night?”  
Louis spluttered everywhere.  
He didn’t think anyone else knew about that. He froze, not knowing how to respond.  
“Yeah, I saw that.” Niall continued, his smiled slowly disappearing.  
“You saw?” Louis asked, whispering.  
“Oh yeah. I saw how you let him walk all over you and didn’t push him away.” Niall pressed, sounding slightly pissed off.  
“I-I, I don’t know…”  
“Louis, you can’t let him do that.” Niall said.   
Louis hung his head and sighed.  
“I know.” He said, looking at his friend sadly as he put his head on his friend’s shoulder and repeated himself in a whisper.  
“I know.”  
“Why, Louis? Why did you let him? You sounded like you hated him when I left you two.”  
“I don’t know why, it just happened.” Louis replied. “And the worst part, I like the thought of it.”  
“What?” Niall asked.  
“I,” Louis hesitated. “I think I still like him.”  
“Louis, you can’t-” Niall began but Louis cut him off, sitting up straight and looking at him.  
“I know I shouldn’t but I can’t help it. The way he’s been acting, he’s been so sweet. And I’m sorry, but I just feel like he’s changed.”  
“Changed?” Niall asked “Mate, don’t let him trick you into thinking that, please. He’s a player and a bad person, you can’t let him control you like this.”  
Louis looked out the window where he could see Harry scrubbing the deck. He had put his bag on the table along with his shirt and was cleaning the last spot, meaning he would be done soon.  
“Louis, I know you don’t want to hear this,” Niall continued. “But you need to understand, he’s not who you think he is. He’s no good for you.”  
“I-I don’t think- I know- I can’t…” Louis stuttered before he wiped his nose jumped off the bench. “I’m so confused.”  
He stepped back a little and shook his head.  
“I know, Louis.” Niall cooed. “I trust your judgement, just- If you think he’s changed, I- I don’t know but- Look, if you want to, then go for it. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”  
“I don’t want to get hurt.” Louis whispered. “I just want to be happy. I’m so sick of being sad all the time.”  
“And I want you to be happy.” Niall replied, getting off the counter and hugging Louis. “You know I’ll always be here for you, no matter what.”  
“Yeah, thanks mate. I just don’t know where my head’s at, at the moment.” Louis replied, hugging his friend back. “I gotta go to class.”  
“Yeah, course.” Niall answered, pulling back and patting Louis’ back. “Have fun.”  
Louis let out a humourless laugh before grabbing his bag and leaving the room, not looking back until he was outside.  
He heard the front door slam as it closed behind him, then, as he reached the end of their front path, he heard it close again.  
He spun around to see Harry, pulling his shirt over his head with his bag in his hand, rushing down the steps.  
“Louis!” He called out after him.  
“Uh, hey.” Louis said awkwardly as Harry jogged up to him.   
“Hi.” Harry replied, a smile on his face, which made Louis want to mimic him.  
There was something about Harry’s dimples and incredibly happy smile that made Louis happy too.  
He didn’t know why, but when Harry was like that, Louis felt like he really had changed.  
But when he was with his friends, he was a complete and utter asshole.  
Louis doubted he had changed that much as to be nice all the time, but then again, he would find out in class today.  
Ed brought out the worst in Harry and much to Louis’ dismay, he was also in the literature class.  
“You finished cleaning.” Louis stated, sounding emotionless as he hid his feelings.  
“Yeah,” Harry replied, his smile faltering as he took in Louis’ straight face. “I promised I would.”  
Louis nodded and kept walking along the footpath, making Harry jog to catch up and walk alongside him.  
“You alright?” Harry asked him and Louis nodded.   
“I’m going to class.” Louis informed him.  
Louis decided that until he saw him with his friends and properly figured out whether or not Harry was still going to be an ass, he was going to act indifferently around him.  
“I’ll go with you.” Harry answered with a smile, which Louis tried his hardest to ignore.  
He nodded and continued. They walked in silence for a while before Harry decided to talk.  
“I’m sorry about last night.” He said.  
“What?” Louis asked.  
“About kissing you last night. It was out of turn and I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done it. I just thought, ‘fuck it’ and went for it without thinking it through.” Harry explained, looking down and embarrassed.  
“Um, yeah.” Louis replied, not wanting to tell him it was okay when it wasn’t.  
“It’s just, I really like you.” Harry pressed on, a small smile appearing on his blushed face.  
Louis bit his lip, but his smile came through and Harry saw, making him smile too.  
“Harry, I can’t just-”  
“I know.” Harry interrupted. “I know, I have to prove it to you. Don’t worry, I’ll show you.”  
Harry showed him a beaming smiled which made Louis shove his shoulder playfully.  
“I will, I promise.” Harry said and Louis nodded, hoping to God he would.  
They walked in silence for the rest of the way, Louis trying desperately not to forgive the poor, lovesick boy walking next to him.  
Louis knew that he was sorry, he just couldn’t put himself out again so easily, so it was going to be a fight for Harry to win him over.  
When they got to the classroom, Harry asked to sit next to Louis, who let him with a shy smile, curious about what he wanted.  
As they talked Louis found himself actually enjoying it and even smiling a little.  
They talked about the book they were looking at, Pride and Prejudice, they talked about the class, just light-hearted things that wouldn’t get either of them upset.  
Louis felt like a weight was taken off his shoulders.  
Harry was certainly proving himself.  
When Ed came in to the room, he looked horrified at seeing Harry next to him, but Harry didn’t budge.  
He was nervous about what Ed was going to say, but he wanted to show Louis that he could be mature and handle it, so he just stayed next to Louis and talked.  
During that class, Louis finally began to see the part of Harry he wished he had seen before, the part where he was nice all the time and didn’t give a fuck what others had to say.  
All he wanted was for this Harry to stay all the time but he couldn’t let himself believe it.   
He didn’t want to believe him, then get his heart broken again, so for now, he stayed closed off, waiting for he moment Harry could show him the real him all the time.  
When that happened, Louis knew he would be over the moon, but until then, Louis was off limits to Harry.   
He always would be until Harry could put back together the pieces of him that he shattered apart.  
Earn it. If you ever want a chance with me, you’ll have to fix what you’ve broken.


	15. Chapter 15

After class, Harry felt better.  
Louis had actually talked to him civilly and even cracked a smile.  
They walked out of the room together, ignoring all the looks they were getting.   
After all, according to the rest of the campus, they hated each other.  
They walked part way down the hallway together and then stopped as the crowd thinned out.  
They were practically the only ones left, just the last few people were dribbling out of the classroom.  
Harry stopped and looked down at Louis who was smiling back at him.  
Louis had seemed to forgotten all about their fight. Harry was just so charismatic that he had won him over yet again.  
Louis tried his hardest to keep in mind what Harry did, but he could feel his walls coming down.  
He could feel that he was letting Harry in again and he wasn’t so sure that was a bad thing anymore.  
Harry had been much nicer. There was no crude comments, no sly winks and no teasing like there had been in the past.  
Harry had been behaving himself and Louis was really happy that he was taking the time to care about him.  
He wanted to believe that he had changed, but there was something holding him back, he just wasn’t ready.  
One more gesture, and Louis would forgive him completely, he knew it. But for now, he was still reluctant.  
“Harry!”  
But of course, some one had to ruin it.  
Harry tore his eyes away from Louis to look down the hall where the voice had come from.  
Of course, it was Ed.  
“Oi, Harry ya prick!” He yelled as he jogged up to them.  
Louis’ smile immediately melted away and he rolled his eyes, trying to walk away, but Harry grabbed his arm.  
“Please, stay. This won’t be long.” Harry whispered.  
Louis looked at him for a minute, trying to decide whether or not to leave, but in the end, he decided to stay.  
“It better be…” He said under his breath.  
He crossed his arms and let out a frustrated breath while Ed approached.  
Harry chuckled to himself at the cute little tantrum Louis was trying to contain. He leaned down and whispered into his ear.  
“Promise.” He said and kissed his cheek lightly before standing up straight to talk to his friend.  
“Hey Ed.” Harry said as Ed stopped in front of him.  
“Harry.” Ed nodded. “Sup loser.” He sniggered towards Louis who scowled harder.  
He wanted to retaliate, but he was so used to Ed’s insults, he knew it wasn’t worth it.   
Plus, it was scary.  
Harry, however, didn’t say anything.   
“What’s up?” Harry asked, bumping knuckles with him.  
“Nothing much.” Ed replied. “What happened in class, bro?”  
“What do you mean?” Harry asked, knowing exactly what he meant but not wanting to admit it.  
“With this retard.” He replied, indicating to Louis who was shrinking further and further into himself.  
His shoulders were up around his ears and he looked like a kicked puppy as he tried to hide in his jacket.  
“Why the fuck did you sit with him? Are you okay? Or was it cause he was giving you the answers or something?” Ed continued, laughing to himself.  
Harry laughed along with him, much to Louis’ dismay.  
Louis watched as the two joked, Ed making rude remarks and Harry not stopping him.  
Louis felt a little hurt, he thought Harry was going to stick up for him.  
After all the shit he had been saying and doing for him the other day, he thought that maybe, just maybe, he might have changed a little, but there he was, still being an ass.  
“I mean, this idiot probably didn’t have he right answers anyway.” Ed laughed before turning to face Louis who was practically cowering in the corner at that point. “Did you convince him with the offer of a blowjob, or something? You wanted to suck him off, didn’t ya?”  
Louis shook his head and gulped, trying to hold himself together.  
“C’mon man,” Harry piped up, making Louis look at him in disbelief. “He’s not all bad.”  
“The fuck?” Ed laughed with a shocked look on his face. “Are you high?”  
“No,” Harry replied more seriously.  
“What the fuck, bro?” Ed asked, suddenly angry. He turned to Louis and shoved his shoulder. “What’s wrong with you?”   
“M-Me?” Louis stuttered, thankful that the hallway was now empty.  
“Yes y-you.” Ed mimicked like the dick he was.  
“Stop.” Harry snapped at Ed. “Leave him alone. He’s a cool guy, just lay off.” He pressed, stepping in front of Ed.  
“You’re fucking disgusting. Look what you’ve done to him!” Ed shouted.  
“Oi, that’s uncalled for.” Harry replied, matching his volume.   
“Fuck off!” Ed scoffed. “He’s fucking brainwashed you.”  
“No he hasn’t. I just stopped being an ass for a second and got to know him.” Harry replied, stepping next to Louis who tried to hide behind him.  
Louis was in no way a coward, but Ed was a big guy and would definitely hurt him if he could. It was smarter to stay back, that way no one would get punched.  
“You’re fucking insane.” Ed replied. “What about all the shit we’ve said? What about everything you’ve said about him?”  
“Shut up.” Harry said through gritted teeth. “That was before.”  
“Before he fucked you up the ass?” Ed sneered. “You’re gone mate.”  
“So what? I like him!” Harry shouted. “I LIKE HIM!” He put his hands out and walking around shouting it. “I really fucking like this guy, okay? What are you going to do?”  
“Fuck you.” Ed spat looking at him in disgust before trying to shove his shoulder but Harry caught his wrist.  
“Don’t say shit about Louis.” Harry said. “There’s no need.”  
Ed shook his head and sneered one last time at Louis before storming down the hallway, yelling profanities.  
“I’m sorry,” Harry said, turning back to Louis who was staring with wide eyes.  
“Why’d you do that?” Louis asked.  
“What?”   
“Why’d you take my side? You hate me. He’s your best friend.” Louis repeated.  
“I don’t hate you.” Harry said with soft eyes, stepping closer so he was looking down. “I actually really like you.”  
“Y-You meant that?” Louis asked.  
“Of course I did.” Harry laughed. “I yelled it down the hallway, didn’t I?”  
Louis laughed along and blushed a little, looking down.  
“Thank you.” Louis whispered, looking up eventually. “For sticking up for me. I never thought that was going to happen.”  
“I will always stand up for you.” Harry whispered back, their faces slowly inching towards each other. “Because I like you. And I’m trying to ‘earn my chance’ as you put it.”  
“Well,” Louis chuckled. “You’re doing well.”  
“Good.” Harry replied, their lips brushing. “I won’t ruin my chance this time.”  
“Good.” Louis smiled, his eyes closing as Harry went in for this kiss.  
His lips met Louis sweetly, the soft feeling made Harry sigh in happiness. Louis didn’t pull back, he wrapped his arms around Harry’s neck and twisted his fingers in his hair.  
Harry ran is tongue across Louis’ lip as they savoured the feeling of each other.   
Harry’s hands found their way to Louis’ waist and hugged him closer before they pulled back.  
“Um, I’m going to go home.” Louis said, looking down to the floor smiling before looking up to see a beaming Harry.  
He nodded. “Okay, I’ll, uh, see you later.”  
“Okay.” Louis replied with a smile.  
Harry leaned down and kissed his flushed cheek. “Goodbye.” He whispered before turning away, incredibly happy.  
He didn’t think Louis would forgive him that quickly, he thought he was going to have to do a lot more convincing before he would get a kiss like that.  
He floated down the hallway, his face fixed in a permanent smile.  
He was about to round the corner when he remembered something.  
“Louis!” He called out, looking back to see Louis still standing there smiling to himself. “Zayn wanted to have a party tonight, do you want to come?”  
Louis nodded. “Uh, yeah.”  
“Good,” Harry replied, “I’ll see you tonight.”  
“Yeah,” Louis answered with a grin and a little cute wave before he walked around the corner in the opposite direction.  
Louis was grinning from ear to ear as he walked away, thinking about Harry.  
He had actually shown a change and was beginning to earn the chance he wanted.  
As he walked, he thought about the party.  
If Harry could not be a dick at the party, Louis decided he would give him the chance.  
He smiled as he thought about it. He was excited, but nervous about how Harry would act.  
All he could hope was that Harry stayed the person he was becoming and stood up for him again.  
By being like that, Louis was slowly healing. Harry, whether he knew it or not, was fixing him by treating him like a human being.  
It was everything he had ever wanted and if the new Harry stuck around, Louis was sure that he would completely forgive him.  
He had earned it.


	16. Chapter 16

Louis straightened his shirt as he stood in front of the mirror and ran a hand through his hair, trying to decide what to do with it.  
He had no idea how he should look for Harry’s party, all he knew was that he needed to look good.  
He was so happy that Harry had stood up for him in front of Ed. He genuinely thought that Harry was going to revert back to his old ways.  
He never in a million years thought that Harry was capable of changing his attitude towards him.  
Louis thought that the moment Harry was done with him, he would toss him to the side like he had with everyone else.   
He had been trying not to get his hopes up. Even when Harry had come to his house to clean the deck after the stupid stunt he pulled the other day, Louis suppressed his feelings, not wanting to believe in him only to be disappointed.  
But Harry had actually shown some kind of difference.  
He had sat with him in class, made him laugh, stuck by him and stood up to Ed for him.  
It was entirely out of character for Harry to do, and Louis hoped with all his heart that this charming, kind and funny soul stuck around because he was falling.  
Fast.  
He always knew he had a crush on him, but now, Louis was beginning to realise that with the new way Harry had been treating him, it was turning into something so much more.  
It was dangerous, he knew, but he couldn’t help his feelings.  
He wanted Harry to stay nice forever, but there was no guarantee that he would.  
His heart was on the line.  
Whether he wanted to or not, Louis had feelings for Harry and he was so beyond scared that it was only going to get him hurt.  
He picked up his comb and started to pull his hair backwards, seeing if a quiff would look any good. He frowned and shook his head, making it fall out. No, that wouldn’t do.  
He put his comb down and looked at himself again.  
He wanted to let Harry in fully, but then again he wasn’t sure he could trust him to not break his heart.  
In the mirror, he saw a different person to who he usually saw.  
Most mornings, he would see a sad boy with a mask, hiding his pain from the rest of the world.   
He used to be terrified of Harry and the things he would say, because he knew that Harry was the only person who could bring down his strong front.  
Now, he saw a relaxed, fun and almost excited guy who maybe, just maybe could become a very happy new guy tonight.  
It all depended on the party. The ball was now in Harry’s court.  
His behaviour would determine everything.  
Louis let out a deep breath and steeled himself, preparing for the worst, just in case Harry was still an ass and ruined everything.  
He swept his hair to the side, deciding he liked it like that.  
Louis looked over his outfit one last time, feeling more secure in himself, and grabbed his phone.  
There was a message from Harry.  
Hi,  
Hope to see you tonight,   
just letting you know it starts at 8  
Harry x  
Of course he added the X.   
It made Louis smile inwardly and gave him a slight boost confidence that he needed.  
Sure, Ni and I will be there.  
Louis  
He wondered about putting an X like Harry had, but decided it would look too pushy, so he just left it and pressed send.  
He pocketed the device and headed downstairs to see Niall sitting at the bench in the kitchen, his bag next to him as he ate.  
He must have only just gotten back from class.  
“Hey,” Louis said as he wandered over to his blonde friend.   
“Sup man,” Niall replied. “How’s class?”  
“Not bad, actually.” Louis confessed sitting on the bench next to Niall’s food. “Harry spoke to me today.”  
Niall grumbled at the mention of his name.   
“What?” Louis asked, taking a gulp from Niall’s drink.  
“I just mean, I knew he would. Did he pay extra special attention to you?” Niall asked, nearly snappily.   
“I-I, uh, y-yeah.” Louis stuttered, almost nervous now that Niall was talking about Harry in that derogatory tone.  
“Did Ed turn up and say shit?” Niall pressed.  
“Y-Yes.”   
“And did Harry protect you like a knight in shining armour?”   
“Uh, I-I, yes. H-How do you know…?” Louis asked, leaning away as he got flustered.  
He wasn’t expecting Harry’s gestures to all be part of some kind of game.  
Niall seemed to think that this was typical of Harry, that it was just him still trying to manipulate Louis.  
“Louis, he’s sucking up to you.” Niall pointed out, taking a bite from his sandwich. “He’s trying to make you take him back and I don’t know if he’s doing it all for the right reasons.”  
“What do you mean?” Louis asked, getting off the bench and going to the fridge.  
“Its just, I guess I think that maybe he just wants you to trust him again so you can continue your little game you used to play.”  
Louis froze and looked at him in surprise.  
“No.” He whispered. “He’s changed.” He said more confidently.  
“Louis, you can’t be sure.” Niall said apologetically. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”  
“He was different. We talked, laughed. We had a good time, for once. The things he said to Ed… Just, no. N-No.” Louis spluttered, finally realising that Niall could be right.  
He didn’t know what to think.  
That tiny inkling of doubt just completely and utterly escalated into full-blown fear, all because of his insecurities.   
“Hey hey. Deep breaths mate.” Niall said, concerned as he got up and went to Louis side, rubbing his back as Louis’ eyes went wide and his heart beat faster, just as it all hit him.  
He had literally just come to terms with the fact that he was falling for this new Harry, and now he was being told that the new Harry was all for a game.  
Louis didn’t know what to think.  
“Its okay mate, I mean, maybe he is being legit.” Niall tried to comfort him, not wanting to hurt his friend, as they both moved into the lounge room. “I just want you to understand that it might not be, I mean, we know Harry. Look at his history.”  
Louis shook his head and shook Niall off his shoulders, sitting on the couch so he could face Niall sitting next to him.   
“I thought he liked me.” Louis whispered, looking at Niall but keeping his distance away from his friend.  
“He might, I mean, its Harry. You never know with him.” Niall said. “Just, don’t get your hopes up, yeah?”  
“He told me he liked me…” Louis continued, looking down into his lap timidly. “I thought he meant it. I thought he really was different.”  
“Wait,” Niall interrupted. “He told you?”  
“Y-Yeah,” Louis said, fighting back tears. “Oh my God. I’m so sick of feeling like this, with all the fucking back and forth. I can’t do it anymore.”  
“Hold up.” Niall held his hand up. “Harry told you that he likes you? When!?”  
“Today,” Louis replied, half-heartedly.   
“Today?” Niall asked, dumbfounded.  
“Y-Yeah,” Louis chuckled. “He was shouting it in Ed’s face and then all down the hallways after class.”  
“Oh my God.” Niall put his hands over his mouth. “Forget what I just said.”  
Louis threw his hands up in exasperation and walked away, then turned back.  
“What?” Louis asked. “You freak me out, then tell me to forget it. What the hell man!”  
“I’m sorry,” Niall chuckled. “But that is completely out of character for Harry to do.”  
“Dude, you are literally mind fucking me right now. What are you on?” Louis asked, still kind of in shock from Niall’s stupid comments.  
“No, but, seriously.” Niall looked at him and put both hands on his shoulders. “That is not normal Harry behaviour.”  
“No, its not. That’s why I thought he was telling the truth.” Louis replied, nodding along with his words.  
“He could be.” Niall said thoughtfully.  
“I thought you hated him after what he did?” Louis asked, now thoroughly confused.  
“I do. He was a jerk to you. I will always hate him until you forgive him. I’m on your side.” Niall answered. “But, he might be telling the truth.”  
“That’s what I thought!” Louis exclaimed, smiling at Niall’s completely useless comments.  
“We’ll have to see how he is at the party then, that will explain everything.” Niall continued.  
“Again, that’s what I thought, before you started talking, goddamn it!” Louis replied with a laugh as he playfully punched his friend’s shoulder. “So this entire conversation was a waste of time. We are right back where we started.” He added.  
“Yeah, I think so.” Niall nodded, smiling at him before sitting down and going back to his food.  
Louis watched him in confusion, wondering what the fuck was the point in that whole debacle.  
“I’m gonna go get ready, then we can head to the party.” He announced, getting up and putting his plate in the sink before going upstairs.  
“You’re insane.” Louis called up the stairs after him.  
“I’ll be down in a few.” Niall replied after he laughed. “Get ready for some Harry analysing.”  
At that Louis groaned, knowing that Harry analysing was a difficult task, especially if he happened to be in one of his moods.  
Louis prayed that he wouldn’t be, but with alcohol in the mix, who knew?  
The party was going to be a hell of an event.


	17. Chapter 17

Harry cracked open a can of beer in the kitchen and leant back on the counter.  
The party would be starting in a few hours, so he had decided to start drinking.  
"Hey mate,"  
Harry looked up to see Liam walking into the room.  
"Hey," Harry replied with a nervous smile.  
"What's up?" He asked as he opened the fridge door and grabbed out a beer before joining Harry on the bench.  
"Uh, not much." Harry continued, visibly out of character.  
"You sure mate? You can tell me, you know." Liam said with a serious look as he noticed Harry was not quite himself.  
"Louis texted. He's coming." Harry told him.  
"That's good, right?" Liam asked with a smile. "You can show him how much he means tonight, can't you?"  
"I don't know..." Harry said in a small voice, looking down awkwardly. "What if everyone hates me? I mean, I don't think I'm ready to loose my rep."  
Liam slapped him upside the head with a frown.  
He was about to speak but was interrupted.  
"The fuck?" Both boys looked up to see Zayn in the doorway. "You don't want to loose your rep? Dude. That's fucking stupid." The black haired boy commented as he walked in.  
Harry immediately put his walls up as he stood and looked over defensively as his friend came over to stand next to Liam.  
"Excuse me?" He said venomously.  
"Are you kidding me?" Zayn threw his hands in the air. "After all the shit you've been through with Louis, you're considering losing him just for your rep? That's ridiculous."  
"Ridiculous? I-" Harry tried to retort but Liam put his arm out to stop him.  
"He's right." Liam said softly. "You can't pussy out now. Besides, you won't lose your rep because you'll always have Zayn and I and we're cool."  
"Plus, Louis is pretty damn popular too, imagine the two most popular guys dating. Trust me man, you won't lose your rep." Zayn added with a laugh.  
Harry took a deep breath before pulling a cigarette from his pocket and lightning it up. He took a long inhale and blew it out before turning back to his friends.  
"You're right. You're right." He chanted, trying to convince himself. "But what can I do? I don't want to lose him, but I don't know what to do to even get him to begin with."  
He took another drag and ran a hand through his hair and paced nervously around the kitchen.  
"Well, what did Louis say to you? Do you know what he wants you to do?" Liam asked.  
"He said to earn it." Zayn answered for him seeing as though Harry was still nervously puffing on his cancer stick.  
"I think he wants me to show him that I've changed and that I care about him." Harry said as he grabbed the beer and drank a few gulps.  
"Okay, enough of that." Zayn nervously took the can and cigarette from his hands and put them on the counter away from him.  
"Well, you should make some sort of grand gesture tonight. Show everyone at the party that you care and maybe he will think that's enough?" Liam suggested. "I think he wants to believe you've changed."  
"But what if everyone hates me?" Harry whispered, looked at them with big, worried eyes.  
"What? Why anyone hate you?" Liam asked.  
"Ed knows." Harry said in a small voice.  
"And? What happened?"  
"Ed," Harry said under his breath. "He full freaked at me today after class."  
"What he fuck? That ginger dick." Zayn exclaimed.  
"Zayn, shut up." Liam shushed him before motioning to Harry to continue.  
"Lou and I were walking out together down the hall and Ed came up and started practically abusing Louis."  
"Like you used to?" Zayn interrupted.  
"Yeah, like I used to- Wait, shut the fuck up." Harry punched Zayn's arm before continuing.  
"Anyway, he was saying some shit and I stood up for him and told him that I liked him, like, like-liked him. And Ed flipped his shit at me." Harry explained, looking pained at the memory.  
"Don't even bother with him." Liam said sympathetically. "Ed's an asshole and if he can't let this go, then we'll kick him out."  
Harry smiled thankfully at his friends but was still doubtful. He was genuinely scared about what could happen. He wanted to be able to just not care about anyone else, but he did.  
He was trying though, he was trying for Louis.  
"I don't know..." Harry said looking down before grabbing another cigarette and lighting it up in the middle of the kitchen.  
"Dude, if Dani smells that she's gonna think it was me." Liam said referring to Harry's smoking.  
"Don't bust my balls." Harry replied sassily. "Everyone in this house knows it's gonna be either me or Zayn filling the kitchen with smoke. Your precious girlfriend isn't going to know about your dark secret."  
Harry laughed jokingly as Liam looked down shamefully.  
"Do you want some?" Harry offered it to him which he took gratefully.  
After a long drag, he handed it back to Harry and spoke.  
"Thank-you." Liam smiled thankfully and looked to Zayn.  
"C'mon, let's get ready for tonight."  
Zayn suggested. "Harry has to look good for Louis." He teased with a laugh.  
"Shut up." He said, smacking his arm before going upstairs to change for the party.  
.  
An hour later, people started arriving. It was 8 and the music was pumping, alcohol was flowing and people were moving.  
Harry took a gulp from his red cup full of grog and tried to block out the whiny voice of the girl beside him.  
He looked pleadingly to Zayn and Liam who were also standing in the little group they had made.  
Along with Taylor.  
The blonde yapping girl kept touching Harry's bicep and leaning into him, making him very uncomfortable.  
"And then I was like-" she rambled on, but luckily she was interrupted by someone.  
"Hey Tay,"  
Harry was about to turn around and thank them, when he saw who it was.  
The ginger himself.  
Ed.  
He gave Harry a very harshly judgmental look before pushing his way into their circle and putting his arm around Taylor's shoulder.  
"Guys," he nodded as a hello before looking at Harry. "Harry."  
"Ed." Harry replied with an "I hate you" look on his face.  
"How are we all?" He asked with a shit eating grin.  
Both Danielle and Perrie were standing in the circle with their boyfriends too, and both were told of what Ed had said about Harry and Louis.  
Neither were impressed.  
"Fine." They all said together as they looked away awkwardly.  
Pretty much that whole circle disliked Ed because of what he did.  
"Just talking to Harry here." Taylor replied to him, not picking up on the mood change before giggling and touching Harry's arm, again.  
"Don't waste your time. He's a twink, Tay." He scoffed, looking Harry up and down.  
At that, Harry gave Ed a death glare.  
"Um, what?" Taylor asked, taking a step back from the guy she was previously clinging to.  
"He likes guys." Ed told her and she shrunk back further in disgust. "Well, a guy. That Tomlinson kid. Isn't that right Harry?"  
Harry swallowed hard and looked at Taylor.  
"Yeah, I actually do really like Louis." He admitted proudly. "And yeah, i think I am gay."  
Her eyes widened as she looked at Harry, who could only stare at Ed.  
He was thankful that finally Taylor would leave her alone, but he couldn't help but become very apprehensive about her reaction.  
That was now two people who had freaked out at the fact that Harry was officially gay, rather than bi.  
"I'm out." Taylor said shaking her head and walking away with Ed's arm still around her shoulder.  
"That was great man." Liam commented when Harry turned back around. "You told someone else, good!" He added with a supportive smile.  
Harry smiled briefly and looked down before scratching the back of his neck.  
"I can't do it." Harry said. "I can't. Everyone will hate me. That's two people now and I just-"  
He stopped and chugged down the rest of his drink.  
"I can't. I can't I can't I can't." I chanted before pulling out a cigarette.  
"Harry, don't say-" Zayn tried to make him feel better but Harry cut him off.  
"I need a smoke." He shook his head and turned around, into to bump into a hard body.  
"Sorry." He mumbled but stopped when he saw who it was.  
Louis.  
"Lou." He breathed out as he saw the familiar blue eyes looking up at him sadly.  
"You can't." He stated, repeating what he had heard. He shook his head sadly. "I should have known."  
"You heard that?" Harry asked desperately.  
"Yeah." Louis replied sadly.  
"No, Lou wait, I'm sorry." Harry began but Louis had already turned and exited through the front door.  
"Fuck."


	18. Chapter 18

“Fuck,” Harry swore again, running his hand through his hair in frustration. “Why am I so fucking stupid?”  
Harry felt his head spin as the alcohol began to take effect. He wasn’t drunk, just tipsy. Plus, he was worked up and confused as well. Just as things were starting to look up, they began to plummet down.  
“No no no no no,” Harry chanted to himself. “This can’t happen.”  
He had just started to gain back Louis’ trust and then that had to happen. Taylor and Ed were just complete idiots and if they hadn’t been assholes about Harry’s feelings, then Harry wouldn’t have freaked out and Louis wouldn’t have heard anything.  
But Louis had heard something.  
He had heard Harry say that he couldn’t do it. That everyone would hate him if he did.   
The smaller boy stopped halfway down the driveway suddenly as he realised that he hadn’t heard the whole story. He didn’t actually know what Harry was talking about. I might not have been him.  
He spun around and groaned as he covered his eyes with his hands. He felt like an idiot. He always had a habit of over reacting and now finally, he was beginning to realise that he couldn’t keep doing it.  
He took a breath and walked straight back inside to see Harry, his eyes red-rimmed as he pulled at his hair.  
“Wait, no. Stop. What are you doing?” He breathed out worriedly as he took in Harry’s appearance. “Don’t hurt yourself.”  
Harry looked up to see Louis standing in front of him. He sighed in relief and smiled at he sight.  
“Lou.” Harry’s eyes lit up when he said the name.  
Louis smiled briefly before looking down and preparing to say what he needed to say.  
“I-I. I needed to say. I-I’m sorry. I- ugh. I didn’t mean- I meant to- no. I just- uh.” Louis rambled on, stumbling on his words as Harry looked on endearingly.  
“I didn’t mean to leave just now.” Louis explained. “I, um, I don’t know. I, uh, I just- I heard you say that, and I freaked. I’m sorry. It’s just- I don’t- Ugh.”  
“Lou, Louis. Calm down. Deep breaths.” Harry pulled him close and rubbed his hands up and down his arms. “Can I get you a drink?” Harry asked with a light laugh.  
Louis nodded and Harry smiled at him, nodding before holding his arm out, indicating for Louis to lead the way.  
Louis returned the smile and stepped in front of the curly haired boy and walked them outside.  
The two stood in the crowd of people as Louis took a deep breath and turned to him, preparing himself for what he was about to say.  
“I’m glad you’re here.” Harry told him with a smile. “Thanks for coming.”  
Louis nodded and took another long breath.  
“I’m sorry about before, I didn’t meant to freak out.” Louis admitted, looking down at his hands.  
“Its okay-”  
“No, its not.” Louis interrupted him. “I-I was talking to Niall on the way here. I, um, I have this issue. Where I majorly freak out over little things. Its kinda anxiety, I guess, I don’t really know. I just, I jump to conclusions and stuff and I just, um, I guess- I’m sorry, is what I’m trying to say.” He finished with a little laugh.   
“Its okay,” Harry reassured him.   
“Okay, can we start over? As if I just walked in now?” Louis asked and Harry smiled and nodded.  
“Sure,” He began before clearing his throat. He turned around in a full circle and gasped, looking surprised when he saw Louis standing there.  
“Oh hey Louis! Glad you could make it!” he exclaimed before pulling Louis in for a hug.  
“Hey Harry, yeah, thanks for inviting me.” Louis replied with an equally as goofy grin.  
“Do you want a drink?” Harry asked, gesturing to the huge ice bucket full of alcohol beside them.  
“Vodka, please.” Louis said and Harry reached down to grab him a can. He opened it for him and gave it to him with a smile.  
“Thank you.” Louis said after a long smile. “Um, I’m gonna go find Niall. We’ll talk later.”  
“Yeah, sure.” Harry said, slightly disappointed.   
He wanted to keep talking to Louis, that’s really all he wanted to do, but he didn’t want to keep Louis from his friends, so he let him go.  
“Come find me later, yeah?” Harry called out as Louis walked away.  
He turned around and gave him a thumbs-up before disappearing into the crowd.  
.  
“Oh hey there,” Zayn commented as Harry re-joined their group in the lounge room. “Is everything okay?”  
“Yeah,” Harry nodded with a smile. “Its all okay.”  
“Good,” Liam said, clapping Harry on the back. “Is Louis okay? You didn’t fuck things up, did you?”  
“No,” Harry turned to him and friendlily slapping his stomach. “I didn’t do anything wrong. He’s okay, we’re going to hang out later.”  
“That’s good.” Liam replied nodding.  
“That was such a bitch move from Taylor before,” Perrie commented and Dani made a noise in agreeance. “I mean, you liking guys isn’t new news. I don’t understand why she would freak like that.”  
“Yeah,” Dani piped up, turning to face Harry. “Everyone knows you’ve had a thing for guys since like, day one here. She’s just blind.”  
“Blinded by love.” Zayn teased and Harry pushed his kissy face away.   
“Fuck off.” Harry laughed.  
“Don’t worry about them, mate.” Liam told him. “They’re idiots. Literally everyone else in the school loves you, so don’t be scared to do what you want. Go with your heart.”  
Everyone else in the circle looked at him with bored expressions.  
“That was beautiful.” Harry said sarcastically and they all started laughing.  
“And on that inspirational note,” Zayn interrupted, wrapping his arm around Perrie’s shoulder. “We’re going to go have sex. See you all later.”  
Perrie rolled her eyes as the other two boys high-fived Zayn and Danielle gave her a ‘get some’ kind of look.  
The two went to find Zayn’s room upstairs, leaving Harry awkwardly third-wheeling.  
“In all seriousness, thanks man.” Harry said to Liam.   
“I’m always here for you.” Liam replied with a smile. “So what are you going to do with Louis?”  
Dani gasped before turning excitedly to both men. “Do something cute! Really romantic and sappy.”  
“What? We’re not even together.” Harry laughed at her. “Maybe I’ll start simple.”  
“Mate, just do what you feel like you want to do. You know what he wants from you and you want the same thing, so give it to him.” Liam advised. “Don’t think about anyone else, they’re not a part of your relationship. You’re the only two that matter in this.”  
“You should be an inspirational speaker.” Harry told him with a laugh. “Thank you.”  
“Sure.” Liam replied with a smile.  
“I’m gonna go outside, mingle a little, see you later.” Harry said before leaving the happy couple and going outside into the warm night breeze.  
.  
A few hours later and Harry was standing back inside, in the middle of the room, red cup in hand, as people moved around him.  
He was pretty sure he was talking to Liam or someone, but he wasn’t concentrating.  
He knew there was music blasting and he knew there were people dancing around him, but the only thing he could keep his eyes on was the back door.  
He knew Louis was out there with Niall, he had seen them earlier.  
Harry didn’t know why, but all he wanted was for the feathery haired, blue-eyed angel to waltz back in and talk to him.  
“Harry?” Liam snapped his fingers in front of his face to bring him out of his daze. “Mate, come back to planet earth.”  
Harry shook his head and smiled quickly before it disappeared.  
“Why hasn’t he spoken to me yet?” Harry asked and Liam sighed.  
“Why don’t you go and talk to him?” Liam suggested.  
Harry looked thoughtful for a minute before Danielle laughed and shoved his towards the door.  
“Go you idiot.” She told him.   
Harry pulled her in for a hug and kissed the top of her head before messing up her hair as he rubbed where he had kissed.   
“Love you, babe.” He said like a sassy white girl before turning and walking out the door to go and find the only person in the party that was worth talking to, in his opinion.


	19. Chapter 19

“And then Louis was like ‘What part of fuck off do you not understand?’” Niall paused to laugh as he recounted the story from the other day.   
Louis didn’t know why, but Niall decided to bring up the events between him and Harry from the past few days and tell all their friends. He was making it seem like Harry was simply horrible, and Louis didn’t appreciate that.  
Although what Harry did was wrong, after that incident, he had been only nice and helpful.  
They were far from being okay, but they were on the road there.  
“It was so funny. Harry didn’t know what to do. Someone had finally shut him up.” Niall laughed again as the rest of the group joined in.  
Except Louis. He didn’t really find it funny, so he took a long gulp of his drink instead.  
“Good one, Louis!” One of Niall’s friends said as he nudged him and held his hand out for a high five.  
Louis feebly obliged as he felt the alcohol go straight to his head and made him dizzy.  
“Woah, mate.” Niall laughed, holding a hand out to stop him from falling over.  
“I’mgongofndhairy.” Louis mumbled. “Harry. Find Harry, is what I’m gonna do.” He repeated before skulling the rest of his drink and stumbling around to go and find the curly haired boy.  
“Hey, hey.” Niall called out as he moved away. “Be careful.”  
Louis rolled his eyes and continued to move through the crowded garden.  
He knew Niall was just trying to look out for him, but he didn’t like the way he was talking about Harry, so he left.  
His vision was a little blurry and he didn’t know where he was going, but he knew he wanted to find Harry.  
Louis didn’t quite know what to do when he found Harry, but he wanted to be near him, so off he went in search of him.  
He frowned as he walked around the deck area and then down onto the grass area, looking at the various groups of people as he went.  
“Hey Lou!”  
“Hi Louis!”  
Various people called out his name and waved but he didn’t reply. He walked past the pool and past the shed trying to find him.  
Eventually, he decided to go inside to find him, his nerves growing every minute they were apart.  
He didn’t know why, but Louis really wanted to see Harry now. He wanted to know whether or not he was going to be the way he said he was going to be.  
Louis wanted to know if the new Harry was here to stay.  
He went inside, into the dark crowded lounge where cramped bodies danced. He looked around for a little while, through the pulsing lights and upon deciding he couldn’t find Harry, Louis moved into the kitchen, filling up his cup with some water to sober-up, before leaning against the counter.  
He sighed in relief as the cool liquid hit his lips. The kitchen was much quieter and lighter than the other room, he liked it, so he jumped up onto the counter to drink the rest of the water.  
“Louis, hi.”  
Louis looked up to see Danielle, Liam’s girlfriend, walking towards him with a huge smile.  
“Uh, hi Dani.” Louis replied.  
“How are you?” She asked cheerfully.  
“Good, I guess.” Louis chuckled as he reflected on his past week.  
“Well, that’s good.” Danielle laughed along with him before her expression turned more serious. “I haven’t seen you in ages!”  
“Yeah,” Louis agreed. “I guess it has been a while. How’s things?”  
“Good good,” She nodded. “Yeah, life is good.”  
After a moment silence, Danielle turned more serious. She sighed and turned to him.  
“I-I just… I wanted you to know, Harry has changed. For the better.” She told him as she leant on the bench next to him. “I don’t know if you’ve seen it, but he really is trying.”  
Louis nodded and smiled a little. He had seen it, only a little, but after Danielle’s confirmation, he knew it was true.  
“He really cares about you, Lou.” She put her hand on his knee as he looked at him. “He may not know how to show it, so I just wanted you to know that he does care, even if you think he doesn’t.”  
Louis nodded again.  
“Thank you,” He said to her. “And I do know.”  
She smiled at him and gave his knee another pat.  
“I’m going to go find Liam, I’ll see you later.” She said before turning and leaving Louis alone to think.  
Danielle was right, Harry was trying, even if he didn’t know how to show it. Louis had been asking too much too soon.  
That was his fatal flaw.  
He overreacted to things all the time and he didn’t know how to control it. He just got these overwhelming feelings and acted stupidly.  
He was pushing Harry to do too much too soon. Just because Louis had liked Harry for god knows how long, doesn’t mean that Harry had liked him that much as well.  
Louis finished off his cup of water before filling up another one and downing it. He let out a long breath and shut his eyes as he leant his head back against the wall.  
He was already beginning to feel better just as he heard the kitchen door open and close.  
“Hey.”  
Louis’ eyes snapped open at the sound of the familiar, gravely voice.  
He looked up to see Harry standing just inside the doorway with a sheepish grin.  
“I finally found you.” He continued as his smile grew. “I’ve been looking for you for ages.”  
“Harry,” Louis replied, hastily jumping off the counter and rushing over to him as he smiled back. “Hi.”   
Harry laughed lightly and extended his arms, pulling Louis close to him. He rested his hands on his hips as Louis put his on his shoulders.  
He was thankful he was still a little drunk, otherwise he would never have been so forward. And he needed to be if he was going to get what he wanted.  
“I was looking for you too.” Louis admitted. “I wanted to talk to you.”  
“Me too,” Harry said as he let go of Louis and pulled out two chairs from the breakfast bar for the both of them.  
“I just wanted to apologise again.” Louis told him as he sat down next to him. “I tend to rush into things a lot and I assume things rather than asking about it and I just-”  
“Louis, Louis, calm down.” Harry replied, putting his hands on Louis knees. “Deep breaths, slow down.”  
Louis took a deep breath, glad there was still alcohol in his system so he wasn’t as worried as he usually would be.  
“Okay, so I’ve been thinking.” Louis began, cutting straight to the chase. “I don’t know if you know, but I have liked you for a while now and I just wanted to know how you feel. I know that we haven’t had the greatest friendship, but I was just wondering, if you wanted to, if we could, like, start over? Like, just see how this… thing, goes and just forget about the rest.”  
Harry smiled at him and brought a hand up to brush his knuckles over his cheek.  
“Louis,” Harry breathed out. “I like you too. A lot actually. More than I’ve liked anyone else before. And I’m sorry about everything I’ve done to you. I was a horrible person and more than anything, I would love to start over with you and figure out what this is. Because I care about you and I want to, well, be with you.”  
Louis smiled.  
“Does that mean…?” Louis asked hesitantly.  
“If you want us to. I know I do.” Harry replied with a grin and Louis closed his eyes as he began to lean closer.  
“Say it.” Louis practically begged. “Ask me.”  
“Lou, do you want to me my boyfriend?” Harry asked just as their foreheads touched.  
Louis simply nodded and rested his hands on his shoulders as he smiled from ear to ear.  
“Just please promise me, that you’ll stay and won’t let other people’s opinions change your mind. Because I really want this to happen.” Louis admitted in a small voice.  
“I promise.” Harry whispered just before their lips met in a perfectly imperfect kiss the both of them had been waiting for.


	20. Chapter 20

They stood up and wrapped their arms around each other tightly as they kissed. Louis swiped his tongue along the bottom of Harry’s lip.  
Louis pulled away from the kiss with a huge grin as he laughed a little and pressed another quick kiss to Harry’s lips.  
“Promse?” He asked.  
“Yeah,” Harry nodded. “I’ve been playing the school slut for nearly 4 years now, I’m done with that. I want you. I want something real.”  
Louis smiled again and pulled him in for a hug as he whispered in his ear. “Thank you,” making Harry laugh. “And me too.”  
“Good. And I should be thanking you.” He replied, his smile slipping a little. “Why would you want to date someone like me?”  
“Harry,” Louis said, cocking his head to the side. “You’re not the terrible person you think you are. The past few days have proved that. Before last weekend, I never thought you’d do half the things you have for me.”  
“Louis, I’ve caused you more harm than good.” Harry replied, his smile now completely gone as he looked down sadly.  
“But we’re not thinking about all that,” Louis reassured him as he brought a hand up to cup his face. “We’re starting over. We’re a blank canvas.”  
Harry nodded and hugged him again before taking his hand so he could stroke the back of it with his thumb.  
“We can make our own story.” Harry said happily. “I can’t wait to tell Li.” He added under his breath.  
Liam was the one who told Harry to go for it and supported his feeling from the start. Plus he was one of his best friends and he wanted them all to know.  
What he didn’t see, was Louis immediately tense up.  
“Y-Yeah,” Louis stuttered as he became quiet. Harry did notice that and took his hands as he consoled him.  
“What’s wrong?” Harry asked. “Is everything okay?’  
“I-I… It’s just- What will they say?” Louis whispered.   
“Don’t even worry about that.” Harry said with a smile. “Who cares what they say, we have each other, that’s all that matters.”  
Louis nodded and smiled, feeling a little bit better. “I-I’m just…. I don’t know. I’m scared what they’ll say. I know it shouldn’t matter, but it does.”  
Harry looked at him for a second as he cupped his cheek and gently kissed his forehead.   
“C’mon, lets go back to the party.” He suggested. “It’ll all be okay. Remember my promise? I’m not leaving.”  
He stood up and Louis followed suit as they both walked back into the crowd of people, hand in hand.  
.  
“Harry!” Zayn exclaimed as the new couple walked over to Harry’s group of friends. Louis immediately shrunk and hid half behind Harry as they approached, scared of what they would say. After all, Louis was in their rival frat and they were supposed to hate each other.  
“Harry, I don’t know if I can do this.” Louis admitted.  
“Hey, its okay.” Harry said, giving his hand a squeeze and putting their joined hands hidden behind his back, just before they joined the circle.  
“Hey guys,” Harry greeted them with a smile as Louis stepped closer to him.  
“Hi Louis.” Liam said, turning towards Louis with a small smile.  
He gave him a small, fleeting smile in return as he quietly answered him. “Hi.”  
Louis’ eyes flickered around the circle to see all 4 of them staring at him as he shrunk further into Harry’s side.  
When his eyes caught Danielle’s, she nodded and gave him a warm smile, silently asking him if he had taken her advice.  
Louis returned the smile and gave a small nod back, making her grin widely as she understood that he had.   
His eyes roamed around to the rest of them again and he saw them all silently judging him, so he looked up at Harry.  
“I’m, um, going to go and find Niall.” He said timidly before untangling his fingers from Harry’s.  
“But-” Harry began, a frown on his face as he indicated to the group. He thought they were going to tell their friends.  
Louis shook his head and turned away, taking one step before Harry grabbed his hand and pulled him back and into his arms.  
He wrapped one securely around his waist while the other held his hand.  
“Guys,” Harry began, looking to his friends as he felt Louis press himself nervously into his side. “We have something to tell you.”  
Louis brought his eyes up from the floor to see Liam, Danielle, Zayn and Perrie all looking at him with a smile.  
It made him feel a little more comfortable, as they seemed like they already knew.  
“Did you ask?” Zayn questioned, his eyes practically sparkling with pride at his best friend. The talk he gave Harry the other day must really worked, he thought.  
“He said yes.” Harry announced as he nodded at the black-haired boy with a grin.  
Zayn smiled even wider as he stepped forward to hug Harry, knocking Louis out of his grasp.  
Louis gasped and stumbled backwards, nearly falling into Danielle.   
“Woah,” She laughed as he put a hand on his arm to stop him. Louis smiled back at her as he stood up and looked at her.  
“So you took my advice then?” She asked him in a whisper and he looked down sheepishly, the smile never wavering.  
“Yeah,” He replied while Zayn kept congratulating Harry for ‘being a man’ and ‘growing a set’.  
“Good,” She answered. “You’ll be good for him.”  
Louis nodded and looked up at his boyfriend. “We’re good for each other.”  
.  
A while later, the news of Harry and Louis getting together had spread around to some of the party. Including Niall.  
“Louis!” He shouted across the room as he stormed in from the deck. “Where the fuck is Lou?”  
Louis heard him coming before he could see him. His eyes widened at he looked at Harry who gave his hand a squeeze and returned the same panicked expression.  
“It’ll-” He began but he was interrupted by a very angry Irishman.  
“Louis, what the fuck are you doing?”  
Louis turned around to see Niall glaring at Harry’s arm around his waist so he stepped out of his embrace and walked closer to his friend.  
“You’re dating?” He asked.  
“Yeah.” Louis replied, standing up straight with a bout of confidence. “We are. I know what you’re going to say, and I don’t want to hear it. I know you care about me and want to protect me, but I can make my own decisions. Please Ni, I want this.”  
Niall gulped and his expression softened a little bit. He looked past Louis to see Harry standing there awkwardly with all his friends looking worriedly at Louis.  
“A-Are you sure?” He pressed, still a little worked up, and Louis nodded.  
“Yes, he’s different.” Louis reassured him with a smile. “Please, trust me?”  
“But what about everything he’s done to you?” Niall continued. “He’s my friend too, I just don’t know about they way he treats you. He’s a dick.”  
“Don’t speak about him that way.” Louis corrected him. “He’s my boyfriend now, please be nice. And we’re starting over, forgetting about everything else.”  
Niall grumbled a little but hugged his friend anyway. “Well, if you’re happy. But I’m gonna need a drink or two to get used to this.”  
Louis laughed and hugged his friend one more time before whispering a “Thank you” in his ear.  
Niall grumbled again, something incomprehensible about finding alcohol, as he turned around and left the room.  
Louis watched him go with a smile, happy his friend was going to at least try to support his new relationship.  
He sighed and turned back to the circle of Harry and his friends to be met with concerned gazes.  
“Is everything alright?” Harry asked, replacing his arm around Louis’ waist and pressing a feathery kiss to his head.  
Louis just nodded and leant into his side.  
“Oooo. Harry got fond.” Perrie cooed, making the entire circle laugh and to Louis’ surprise, he didn’t retaliate. He simply smiled and looked down and Louis who rested his head on the taller lad’s shoulder.  
“So when are you going to tell people?” Liam asked. “Is this going to be a public thing or are you just going to subtly do that” he waved his hand at them being all cuddly “in public?”   
“Now.” Harry announced as he untangled himself from Louis and stood on a table before Louis could protest.  
“Ha-” He began but he was gone before the firs syllable had left his mouth.  
Harry stood up on the dining table in his frat house lounge room and held his drink in the air, waiting for his fellow housemates and the rest of the party to shut up so he could address them.   
"Could you all please shut the fuck up." Harry said calmly as he looked at them. Soon, they turned around and looked up to the president of the house.   
Louis bit his lip and took several steps backwards, trying to hide behind Danielle. He wanted people to know, but he was scared about what they would all think, so he cowered behind the girl as Harry continued to speak.  
"The time has come, to put this feud with Delta Psi behind us," he began, referring to Louis frat. There were a few outbursts, however once Zayn shouted over them all to stop, Harry once again had silence.   
"Yes, this.... thing, that we had going on, while it was fun, was actually really fucking stupid." Liam smiled up at him proudly, knowing what he was about to do. "A lot of people got hurt, me included, and somebody who means a lot to me."   
Harry gulped as he hesitated, preparing himself to finally let it out. He was going to tell them that he liked Louis, that they were together. And if there were his friends, they would be supportive of him, so he didn't want to hold it in any longer.   
He quickly looked around the room to see if he could find Ed, but he wasn't there and Harry thought himself lucky at that because if he were, shit would go down.  
Being met with only respectful looks from the entire room, and half the people outside who had crammed themselves in just to listen, he continued.  
“I don’t know how or why it started, but as of now, it’s officially over. Delta Psi are our friends.” He smiled. “And their president…”  
He paused and looked at Louis who smiled back before holding his hand out for Louis to grab. Perrie gave him a shove and he stepped forward slowly before taking Harry’s hand and being pulled up onto the table where everyone could see him.  
“Louis Tomlinson, is my boyfriend.”  
There were multiple gasps and a few conversations started around the room as the two of them stood, hand in hand, in front of the crowd.  
“SHUT UP!” Zayn shouted over everyone. “MY FRIEND IS TRYING TO SAY SOMETHING!”  
Everyone was quiet again and looked up expectantly to Harry, returning their attention to him.  
“Thanks mate.” He laughed, holding his drink out to Zayn in thanks. “Anyway, as I was saying. This amazing, precious and beautiful boy is my boyfriend. And I’m happy.” He turned to face Louis before putting his arm around his shoulder. “So you can all fuck off if you can’t accept that.” He added with a laugh which most of the room joined in on. Harry took that as a sign that they did accept it and felt immediately more comfortable, so he kissed the side of Louis’ head.  
Most of the people cooed and a few even gave them a whoop or whistle  
“To Harry and Louis! Liam shouted as he held his cup up in a toast. Everyone looked to him and did the same as they all smiled and cheered.  
“To the end of Harry’s slut days!” Zayn added, making the room laugh and cheer and toast to that too.  
Up on the table, Louis smiled up at Harry, so proud of the way his boyfriend was in front of everyone who looked up to him. He then looked out over the crowd and saw Niall towards the back, also smiling up at him, which made his heart swell. To anyone else, it would have looked like just another person in the crowd, but to Louis, it was his best friend putting aside his prejudice and supporting his relationship.  
Their eyes met and Niall gave him a nod which made him smile.  
“C’mon,” Harry whispered in his ear, capturing his attention with a laugh. “I think we’re done up here.”   
He jumped off the table before helping Louis down after him and they walked back over to their friends, glad that a party of 200 people were happy for them.   
Everything was coming together.


	21. Chapter 21

Harry pulled his arms above his head, pressing his palms to the headboard as he stretched his body out in bed, looking down at the beautiful boy asleep on his chest.  
Louis let out a small noise, breathing on Harry’s chest lightly, making him smile as the memories from the previous night came flooding back to his head.  
He remembered the words coming from Louis’ lips. The promises and kissed they’d shared made him smile from ear to ear. The way they’d held each other and the way they’d stuck by each other when they told everyone.   
For the rest of the night they’d just hung out with their friends, even Niall joined them. The blonde still wasn’t okay with Harry, but he was trying to change his opinion of him for Louis.  
They’d danced, talked, drank and played stupid party games, just enjoying being with all their friends and each other as the party went on around them.  
They’d kissed and shared smiles while Dani and Perrie cooed and the boys made gagging noises.   
Harry smiled to himself as he thought about it. It was one of the happiest times he could remember. No one-night-stand or casual fuck could make him feel as wanted and whole as Louis had.  
After the party had died down and people began to leave, Niall went home with some girl and the other two boys disappeared upstairs with their girlfriends, leaving Harry standing at the front door to make sure everyone had left.  
Then, Harry turned to his boyfriend, scooped him up in his arms and carried him to his bedroom where they spent the night cuddling. Before Louis, Harry would never have cuddled someone unless there was sex involved but with Louis, he simply wanted to hold him close, scared he was going to disappear into the night.  
He looked down at the boy who was still snoring soundly on his chest as he gently rubbed his back and arm.  
With one last kiss to his head, Harry gently untangled himself from his boyfriend and snuck out of the bed, pulling on a pair of sweats before leaving the room.  
He ran a hand through his hair as he made his way down the stairs to the kitchen where Liam was sitting on the kitchen bench, his head out the window as he gingerly smoked a cigarette.   
Harry leant against the doorframe, watching with an amused expression as Liam tried desperately not to get caught by his girlfriend. After a moment of watching the muscly boy struggle with his head out the window, Harry decided to gently knock on the wall, making Liam jump and hit his head on the window frame as he scrambled back inside, scared it was Danielle.  
“Ohmygod.” He breathed out, a hand on his chest as he saw it was just Harry, chuckling to himself at his friend. “Don’t scare me like that! I thought you were Dani.”  
“Yeah,” Harry laughed as he walked further into the room. “Come to castrate you. You’re so stupid.”  
“Fuck off.” He laughed as he sat up, dropped the cigarette butt out into the garden and closed the window.   
“But she would kill you.” Harry said, jumping up onto the bench next to him. “She’s going to catch you one day.”  
“Well until she does, I’m going to enjoy it.” Liam retorted, leaning back so his head rested against the cupboards. “Anyway, what’s gotten you up so early? Usually you’d still be passed out at this hour.”  
“Its 10.” Harry stated, looking at him with a confused face.  
“My point exactly.” Liam replied. “Its only 10, you’re never up before 12 on a Sunday.”  
“Whatever,” Harry blew him off. “Niall’s coming over later, by the way.”  
“Ugh,” Liam groaned making Harry laugh as he reached up into a cupboard. “Why.”  
Harry turned back around, a pack of cigarettes in his hand. “Swap,” Harry commanded as he jumped down and switched places with Liam so he could smoke out the window.  
“Because,” Harry explained. “He’s Louis’ friend and we’re going to have a pool day. Ni’s coming and so are you, Zayn and the girls. It’ll be fun.”  
“But he’s so annoying.” Liam complained.   
“Well, get used to him being around. As long as Lou’s here, he’s going to be too.” Harry warned. “And I’m not planning on letting him go so easy.”  
He blew a lungful of smoke out the window and looked back to see Perrie standing in the doorway.  
“Morning,” She mumbled as she sleepily smiled at the two boys.  
“Good morning.” Liam chimed. “How are we?”  
She yawned and stretched her arms above her head, making the bottom of her t-shirt come up to show off her lacy underwear.  
Harry immediately looked at her ass, but quickly looked away. However, Liam noticed.  
“Good,” She replied as he went to the fridge. “Is there any bacon? I’m in the mood for bacon.”  
Liam kept looking at Harry, waiting for the crude remark about Zayn’s girlfriend.  
“What, no comment?” Liam whispered to Harry who shook his head with a look of indifference. “You’re actually not going to say anything about her not wearing pants? There’s no comment you want to make about her hot ass?”  
Harry shook his head again as Perrie continued searching through the fridge.  
“I’m proud of you.” Liam whispered with a short nod, making Harry smile.  
Perrie was about to say something else, but she was interrupted by a sharp shout.  
“HARRY!”   
Harry sat up straight, his eyes widening as he heard Louis’ voice ring through the house.  
His head snapped towards the door as he heard an upstairs door slam and someone come running down the stairs.   
“Nononononono.” Harry heard Louis chanting as he ran around the bottom floor of the house, doors flying open everywhere until he got to the kitchen.  
“Harry!” He breathed out as he appeared in the doorway, a frantic look on his face. “Oh thank God.”  
Harry’s face creased in worry as the smaller boy rushed over to him and stood between his legs as he threw his arms around him and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug.  
Harry looked at Liam who shrugged before looking back down at Louis.  
“Louis?” Harry asked, hugging him back. “What’s wrong?”  
“I thought you were gone. I thought…” Louis whispered into his bare chest. “I thought you had left me again, like last time.”  
Memories from the last night they had spent together came flooding into Harry’s head, when he had fucked him and then left before Louis had even woken up.  
“Oh, no,” Harry stroked his hair as he held him, occasionally kissing his head. “I’m not going anywhere. I just came down for breakfast.”  
Louis smiled and looked up at him just before Harry leant down and connected their lips.  
“Sorry for freaking out.” Louis mumbled as he pressed his face into Harry’s chest again.  
“S’okay,” Harry chuckled as he looked to Liam who smiled at him with a proud face.  
“Okay seriously, do you have any food in this house?” Perrie asked, standing up straight and closing the fridge door before crossing her arms as she looked at the three boys.  
“Go ask your boyfriend.” Harry retorted. “It was his turn to do the shopping.”  
“No it wasn’t.” Zayn shouted from somewhere else in the house, his voice echoing down to the kitchen.  
Harry rolled his eyes when his best mate entered the room. “It was your turn.” Zayn finished once he was in the kitchen with the others. Louis turned around in Harry’s arms and leant backwards so he could see everyone else in the room.  
“Fuck off.” Harry replied, pulling Louis’ back against his chest. “No it wasn’t. I did it…” He looked up as he counted the weeks in his head, his eyes narrowing as he thought. “I don’t know. But I did it recently.”  
“No you didn’t.” Zayn shook his head as he walked up behind Perrie and wrapped his arms around her waist. “But it’s okay, I’m going today.”  
“Mate,” Liam commented. “You haven’t done it since like, February.”  
“Like I care.” Harry replied with a grimace as his friends laughed and Louis rubbed his leg affectionately. “Where’s Dani, by the way?” He asked Liam.  
“Probably still asleep.” Liam replied as he stretched and got down from the bench. “I’m gonna go back upstairs and check on her.”  
“Kay, have fun with the morning fucking!” Harry called after him as he left, Liam laughing as he went up the stairs.  
“Harry,” Louis scolded him. “Don’t be like that.”  
Perrie scrunched her face up at Harry’s language. “Listen to your boyfriend. Do you have to be so vile?” She asked.   
“Sorry.” Harry mumbled, hugging Louis’ waist tighter as he leant down and rested his chin on top his head.  
Perrie shook her head and moved away from Zayn, towards the door. “I’m going back to bed. Bring me food?” She asked him with a quick peck to his lips.  
“Sure,” Zayn nodded, patting her bum as she left the room.   
“Remember pool day today!” Harry called out after her. “People will be here around 1 this arvo.”  
“Okay,” Perrie called out as he went upstairs.  
“Can you stay forever, Louis?” Zayn asked before he went to the fridge, getting out the pancake batter and turning on the stove. “You’re literally the only person who this one’ll listen to.”  
Louis laughed and looked up at Harry with a fond smiled.  
“I’ll stay as long as he let’s me.”  
“Sleep well?” Zayn asked him, stirring the batter.  
“You’re actually going to make her food?” Harry questioned. “Whipped much?”  
“Yeah,” Louis replied to Zayn’s question, making Harry shut up before he could say something else. “It was nice, you?”  
“Yeah,” Zayn answered as he poured batter into the hot pan. “Pretty nice.”  
“I’m going to shower,” Harry whispered to Louis, jumping down from the bench and replacing his arms around his waist. “Join?”  
Louis giggled and put his hands on Harry’s shoulder, leaning up to nip at his neck.  
“Okay,” He said as the two left the room hand in hand.  
“We’ll see you later, Zayn.” Harry said, more loudly so he could hear.  
Zayn chuckled to himself as he flipped a pancake. “Clean the shower when you’re done.” He called out after them, listening to the giggle as they ran upstairs.  
.  
Harry, Louis and Liam were already in the pool when Niall arrived while Liam and the girls lounged around, tanning.  
“What’s happening, losers!” He announced himself when he walked out the back door and into the garden. He held his hands up as he walked, shirtless and in a pair of board shorts as he pulled his sun glasses off his eyes and grinned.  
“Niall!” Zayn shouted as he saw the guy walking across the grass to the pool with a towel in his hand, which he promptly threw over the fence, leaving it hanging there.  
“Great…” Liam mumbled, before putting on his sunglasses and rolling over to tan his front.  
“Hey buddy!” Niall replied, opening the pool gate and walking over to the edge where he sat down and dangled his legs in the water.  
“Ni!” Louis smiled and swam out of Harry’s grasp and over to Niall. “You’re here.” He said more quietly so that only the blonde could hear.  
Harry mumbled something about Louis being stolen before he turned back to Zayn and the two swam over to the side of the pool where the girls and Liam were tanning on the sunbeds, leaving Louis and Niall to talk. Harry wasn’t jealous, he just loved having Louis in his arms and when he wasn’t, he felt like he was missing something.  
“Of course I came, man!” Niall replied. “I’m still not 100% okay with what Harry did to you, but if you trust him, then so do I. You’re my best friend, Lou.”  
Louis smiled at that and gave him a hug. “Thank you, and I promise he’s changed.”  
“If you say so.” Niall laughed along, hugging him back. “I-”  
“GOTCHA!” Louis shouted, cutting him off as he pulled him into the water with a splash.  
“Louis!” Niall spluttered as he resurfaced, spitting water everywhere. “What the hell man?”  
Louis swam away with a laugh and a scream, towards Harry.  
“Harry, help!” He playfully shouted as Niall came surging towards him, a devilish look on his face.  
“I am having no part in this.” Zayn shook his head before climbing out of the pool and sitting next to his girlfriend on the bed.  
Louis let out another yelp as he wrapped his arms around Harry’s neck and clung onto his back as he tried to hide from his friend.  
“Louis, you little fucker!” Niall laughed as he ran around Harry and tried to grab Louis, but being the protective boyfriend he was, Harry grabbed Louis’ thighs and swiftly carried him away.  
“No fair!” Niall exclaimed as Harry and Louis laughed, swimming away quickly. “Zayn, get in here!”   
Zayn rolled his eyes but kissed his girlfriend’s head and jumped back in anyway, swiftly letting Niall jump up onto his shoulders before they advanced on the giggling couple.  
“Harry,” Louis whispered in his boyfriend’s ear. “They’re coming! Help me onto your shoulders.”  
“Okay.” Harry agreed before giving him and boost and holding onto his legs as they moved towards Zayn and Niall.  
“Oh its on, fakey.” Louis teased Niall who replied with a gasp as he clutched his hair.  
“Do not bring the hair into this, you jerk.”  
“Loser.”  
“You guys suck at insults.” Harry interrupted.  
“Shut up!” Niall replied.  
“Let’s do this.” Louis narrowed his eyes and held his arms up, ready to fight.  
“Bring it, little boy!” Niall retorted as he did the same and Harry and Zayn took a step closer.  
“WAIT!” Harry shouted just before they began. “LIAM!”  
Then, Liam opened his eyes for the first time since Niall arrived and took in the scene. “What the… guys?” He asked.  
“Hey Liam!” Harry asked. “Wanna ref?”  
“Ref what?” He asked, sitting up and removing his glasses.  
“Louis and Niall’s bitch slapping contest.” Zayn laughed, earning a slap to the head from the blonde on his shoulders.  
“Sure,” Liam sighed as he moved to the middle of the pool and sat down with his legs in the water. “Why not.”  
“Ready?” Niall asked.  
“I was born ready.” Louis replied with a grin.  
“Actually, you were born as a mushy pile of baby.” Niall replied.  
“Shut up.” Louis stuck his tongue out, making Niall do the same.  
Harry fondly looked up and Louis, proud of his boy even if he was behaving like a toddler. He was happy and that was all that mattered to Harry, simply seeing a smile on Louis’ face made his day.  
“Okay, Okay.” Liam interrupted before the two got really childish. “Enough of this. Let’s start. Ready? Go.” He announced and the two begun.  
Perrie and Dani sat up from their tanning session to watch the best friends wrestle.  
“First one to fall off their partners shoulders, loses.” Liam shouted above the splashing as Louis and Niall gripped arms and started pushing each other around.  
The girls cheered and whooped as Liam shouted at either of them who broke his ‘rules’ while Harry and Zayn concentrated on keeping their partners up on their shoulders.   
After a lot of swearing, splashing and violent shoving, Louis successfully managed to get Niall off of Zayn’s shoulders.  
“DAMN FUCKING DAMN IT!” Niall shouted once his head was back above the water.  
“YES!” Louis exclaimed and laughed along with Harry who helped him down and enveloped him in a hug.  
“Wooo Lou!” Harry cheered as Louis leant back and laughed some more before giving Harry a quick kiss on the lips and turning around to face the others.  
Harry, however, didn’t let go of his waist. Instead, he kept his arms securely around him while Louis leant back in his embrace.  
“You win this time, Tommo.” Niall narrowed his eyes at his friend, making them all laugh even more.  
“Aw, its okay, Ni.” Louis cooed. “I’ll let you win next time.”  
“Fuck off.” He retorted, but soon cracked a smile, which Louis returned.  
Then, it all quietened down a little, the girls slowly climbing into the joining spa along with Liam and Zayn.  
Niall put his arms out on the edge of the pool and leant backwards with a sigh as he closed his eyes. Harry kissed Louis’ neck before letting him go and pushing him towards the spa.  
“Go with the others, I’ll come join you in a sec, kay?” He said.  
“Okay,” Louis replied, a little unsure but nodded and did what he said.  
Harry slowly swam over to where Niall was and sat next to him.  
“Hey,” Harry said to Niall, making him open his eyes. “I know we’ve had a rough two weeks, but we used to be good friends. Now that Lou and I are together, I want to be friends again. What do ya say?”  
Niall looked at Harry for a minute before smiling and giving him a nod. “Okay.” He replied. “I guess I’m willing to put this behind us, but you’d better not fuck Louis over.”   
“I won’t, I promise.” Harry said seriously. “I really care about him.”  
“Good.” Niall said curtly, leaving the two in a semi-awkward silence.  
“Welcome to the family.” Harry told him.  
“It’s a pretty fucked up family.” Niall commented.  
“But a family, nonetheless.” Harry replied, putting an arm around his shoulder.  
Niall was about to reply when he was interrupted by a sharp splash and shout.  
“Oi, you two.” Zayn shouted from the warm spa. “Get over here.”  
Harry and Niall smiled at each other before swimming over to the spa and climbing in where the gang spent the rest of the afternoon together.   
.  
Once the air grew cold in the shade, everyone had moved out of the pool area, dried off and were sitting around a bonfire in the middle of Harry’s backyard.   
They had the radio playing in the background as they prepared dinner together.  
Liam and Zayn were in front of the barbeque, cooking dinner while Perrie, Danielle and Niall were making a salad inside with Taylor who had just come home from a shopping day.  
“Tay’s here.” Liam shouted from where he turned over a burger.   
Harry groaned. He was sitting in a camping chair with Louis across his lap, holding him tight. Louis laughed at his reaction to the girl’s name and gently kissed his neck in comfort.  
“It’s okay.” He giggled into Harry’s neck. “She’s just a bitch.”  
Zayn let out a laugh at that. “He’s learning fast.” He pointed out.  
“Well, she may have a few choice words for you two, so beware.” Liam warned them at which Harry sighed again.  
“Well then, I think Ed’s back too.” He stated. “Him and Tay always hang out so if she’s back, he would be as well.”  
As soon as he was mentioned, the atmosphere shifted.  
Louis tensed up and the others at the barbeque fell quiet. He was still frightened of him since the whole hallway ordeal when he flipped at Harry.  
“Hey, hey.” Harry cooed, noticing his reaction. “Don’t worry, I can handle him.”  
Louis shrunk back against Harry’s chest, trying to make himself smaller. He had no doubt Harry could handle it, but he was still scared of the fiery ginger.  
“Hey.”  
All 4 heads snapped to the back door to see the tall blonde girl come out onto the deck.  
“Taylor,” Zayn greeted her. “What’s up.”  
“Oh, nothing much.” She cheerily replied, skipping down the steps to stand next to the two boys cooking. “Just went shopping. How are you guys?”  
Her eyes raked over the group, lingering on Harry and Louis for a bit, making them both uncomfortable. Louis pressed his back further into Harry’s chest and Harry tightened his arms around Louis’ waist.  
“Fine.” Harry deadpanned.  
She smiled back at them for a moment, before taking a step forward and suddenly becoming serious. “Okay, so here’s the deal.” She began. “I don’t hate either of you.” She said to Harry and Louis. “And neither does Ed, we were just caught off guard when you told us. I’m okay with it and Ed’s… slowly becoming okay with it.”  
Harry looked back at her with a shocked expression. He wasn’t sure what to think about it all.  
“Ed is still kind of pissed, I dont know why, but give him time, he’ll come around.” She added before turning around and going back up onto the deck.  
“We’re going out to Zac’s place, we’ll see you later.” She added before disappearing through the back door.  
“Well that was…” Liam began.  
“Odd?” Harry asked with a humourless chuckle.  
“Hmm.” Zayn agreed. “Well, at least they don’t hate you.”  
“True.” Harry replied. “You okay?” He asked Louis who was still curled up on his lap.  
Louis nodded against his neck and Harry kissed the top of his head affectionately.   
“It’ll be okay.” Harry reassured him. “We’ll always be okay.”  
“I believe you.” Louis whispered as he looked into his eyes. The shiny green emeralds sparkled with the truth when he said that they would be okay.   
Louis smiled and leant their foreheads together before joining their lips in a sweet kiss.  
Their lips melded together perfectly as they moved in sync, kissing quietly as the music played in the background.   
Unwittingly, the song playing would become their song in the future and Harry would sing it Louis all the time.  
“The salad is served!” Niall announced as he came outside with the girls in tow.  
“Alright, break it up love birds.” Perrie joked as her and Dani came outside with salad bowls in their hands.  
“Yeah,” Daniele added. “As much as I’m glad you’re such a cute couple and all, please stop with making out, at least while we eat.”  
Louis giggled against Harry’s mouth before they pulled away and stood up, grabbing a plate from the table and pilling it with food.  
Once everyone had their meals, they all sat around the fire and ate.  
“This is nice.” Zayn commented.  
“Hm.” Perrie agreed with a smile.  
“I’m really happy you’re here, Louis.” Danielle said across the circle to the feathery haired boy.  
“So am I.” Harry grinned, patting his leg as Louis smiled back.  
“Same.” Louis replied to Danielle. “Thank you all for having me, by the way.”  
“Me too!” Niall piped up.  
“Its no problem!” Liam answered. “We like having you around, you’ve calmed Harry down quite a bit.”   
They all laughed and Harry blushed.  
“See!” Zayn pointed out.   
“Fuck off.” Harry retorted with a laugh, which everyone joined in on.  
Louis looked affectionately at his boyfriend, thinking about how different his life was now that Harry and him had sorted out their shit.  
He was happy and Harry was happy and that’s all there was to it. With their friends around them as they laughed the night away, there was nothing more they could ask for. All they wanted was to stay like that, together and happy for as long as they could.  
And they did.


End file.
